Ancient Ways, Ancient Evils
by Hero-of-Winds
Summary: An ancient evil powerful beyond measure rises, and the world is changed forever. Sonic and Co. are ordained by fate to put a stop to this evil. Betrayals, new friends, romance galore! SonicxOC, ShadxAmy, TailsxCream, OCxKnucklesxRouge triangle. 100k hits!
1. Chapter 1: Right Here

**Author's Note: **I've decided to drop the song-fic version of this chapter with this new one. It didn't work out too well. Here's the new one! Yayz0r!11one

**Chapter One – Right Here**

_Back on Earth again_, Shadow thought to himself as he surveyed the scene before him. He had spent three years alone on the ARK, repairing the damage the Black Arms did to the space colony. During that time, he contemplated of what he would do in life. Though Shadow concluded that he had served his purpose in life, he felt unfulfilled…a great void was left in his soul, and he needed to fill it somehow. But first, he needed to see all his old friends. But he would surely be recognized by others if he did not obscure himself. He raised the hood of a brown cloak he had brought with him, and set on down the road to the city.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Westopolis was still being repaired from Black Doom's attack, but life had begun anew. People once again walked the streets of the city, milling around doing their business. Almost no one took notice of the four-foot cloaked figure walking in their midst. Even when Shadow was noticed, all he got was a casual and short glance, nothing more. Shadow felt himself blending into the mass of people, and wondered if he would ever get out of this living river.

As he reached a street corner, someone he recognized entered his field of vision. It was a pink female hedgehog...probably around fifteen years old. There was no doubt in Shadow's mind that the girl was Amy Rose, Sonic's number one fan-girl. But she had changed a lot over the last few years. She had exchanged her red dress for blue jeans and a magenta t-shirt that seemed to have dabs of paint on it. She had let her hair grow a little, and now passed her shoulders. And of course, she had been subject to the usual effects of female hormones during puberty, though to a lesser degree than with Rouge. He always felt Rouge was a bit too overdeveloped for his tastes. Slung over her shoulder was a dark blue backpack, also stained with paint. Shadow figured that the girl had dropped her cute girl routine for that of an artist. The yellow-and-red hammer she would always carry around was also absent from her person. As Shadow observed her more closely, she noticed a lot more tone in her, as if she had been working out. But that red ribbon that she always wore was still on her head.

Something inside Shadow suddenly stirred as he eyed the girl. He wasn't sure what to make of it…he just couldn't stop staring at her, taking in every single feature with a strange sense of satisfaction. It took him a minute or two, but Shadow finally found the term to describe what he was feeling:

He was attracted to her. This was what he needed…someone to care for. A void had always been in his heart, and his loneliness had forced him to deaden his emotions. But he could still remember her words…the words that awakened the good that he thought he never had:

_There has to be! I know that people fight over the most trivial things. Some people may be selfish, like the professor said... but they're basically good, if they try their best and never give up on their wishes. They always have a reason to be happy, that's why you should help them out! Saving them is a good thing! Shadow, I beg you, please do it for them! Give them a chance!_

Those words had given him not only the will to stop the ARK from falling years ago, but to stand up to the fiend Black Doom three years before. He owed Amy so much, and maybe a little affection would help them both.

Shadow decided to follow Amy and see where she was going…he dared not make a pun of his own name when he set upon that course of action. She simply went straight forward for about five blocks, then suddenly turned left down a side street…and now she was all alone.

As Shadow continued to trail the girl, she seemed to sense that someone was following her, and looked back every so often. Shadow was always able to find a hiding place, though. After looking back six times, she finally stopped.

"Whoever you are…show yourself!" she said, putting down her backpack, and assuming what appeared to a defensive stance. Amy had been taking martial arts classes as a way of keeping herself fit, as well as a form of self-defense.

Shadow couldn't help but find this completely amazing. Gone was the innocent and overly perky pre-adolescent, and in her place was a whole other person…as if Amy had shed an old skin as a snake does when it grows too large for its old hide. He finally decided that it was time to reveal his presence.

"It's been a long time, Amy…three years?" he said as he came out from behind a dumpster. He also removed his hood, and Amy dropped her guard.

"Shadow…you're back!" she exclaimed. "But…I thought you were going to stay on the ARK…"

"Let's just say…it's awfully lonely up there…" he replied, and started to approach her.

Amy nodded. "I would bet. No one else was on the ARK but you, right? What made you decide to come back all of a sudden? Are there still things on your mind?"

"No…my past is behind me…" Shadow answered, waving his hand as if he was swatting his past away like an imaginary gadfly. "I was looking for a different sort of fulfillment…"

"Are you okay, Shadow?" she asked, with a bit of anxiety in her voice.

"Yeah…now that I have the courage to tell you something…"

Amy quickly picked up on his message and started to walk away. "If it's about a date…forget it," she said, in a manner that almost made her seem disgusted with the notion.

Shadow wasn't about to take no for an answer. Something drove him on…he wanted her so bad. "Amy, you don't know just how it is to be lonely! I beg you, hear me out! I've changed!" he pleaded.

"You seem the same to me…besides, Sonic is the one whom I'll always love."

Shadow's tone was getting angrier. "Sonic! It's always about him! What does he have that I don't? The only thing he treats you like is dirt!"

"Shadow…you're acting like such a damn moron."

Shadow was taken aback by this. "Geez, you don't have to be that way. I can't help feeling the way I do now!"

Amy blushed. "Oh…sorry…it's just that…I've never seen you like this. It's awfully sweet, but my heart still belongs to Sonic. If he won't have me…no one will."

Shadow rose and shook his head. "…You're just like you were three years ago. You're stubborn and you refuse to give up on anything as long as there's a small chance of getting what you want. I admire that in a girl. Sonic just finds it annoying."

Amy was starting to find Shadow's words so similar to hers, when they were aimed at Sonic. Could she have been looking for love in the wrong place all along? She wasn't completely sure, but maybe Shadow could offer something that Sonic couldn't.

Shadow felt he was getting somewhere, and decided to press on with his courtship. He decided to get closer. "Amy…I would give myself up for you…I want to be right here for you…always…I'm nuts for you, girl."

Amy was exasperated by Shadow's words here…did he really find her worthy of his love, which had kept buried within him for so long? She still couldn't imagine herself and Shadow together…she had always thought that Shadow and Rouge would be a couple. As she thought this over, Shadow rose to his feet, and gently clasped her hands.

"After Black Doom's death, I wondered what was next. I needed fulfillment…and then I found what I needed in you…somehow."

"Is that…how you really feel…what about Rouge? I'm sure you'd find her much more of your type…" she thrust his hands away from her own. "Besides, you did nearly destroy the Earth…twice!"

Shadow was now starting to tear up…something he hadn't done in a long time. He fell into a kneeling position and grabbed onto Amy's pants leg. His tone had become a full-blown sob.

"Why can't you just forgive me…I don't want to relive all the mistakes I've made_…_mistakes I've made alone…"

Amy thought back…it was the same way with Sonic. There was nothing she could do to win him. Now knew it almost for sure. Sonic would never give her the least regard…but Shadow, his supposed dark version, was begging for her affection. The thought to use him as a way to make Sonic jealous crossed her mind…but she decided not to. It would be too under-handed. She would give Shadow a chance. Love didn't exactly come this way every day.

Shadow knew victory was close "Will you fulfill me, Amy…because I'd be more than happy to do the same for you."

"You sure know how to woo a girl, Shadow…yes…I will…"


	2. Chapter 2: First Date

**Edit (10/06/2007): **I'm beginning to fix some major plot inconsistencies, so that it makes more sense.**  
**

**Chapter Two**

"Wait…what are you saying, Amy?" Tails exclaimed when she heard news from Amy over the phone. "You…and Shadow…are together!" Amy was in her apartment room that doubled as a miniature art studio.

"I know…isn't it great!" Amy replied in a very excited tone. "Oh, you should have seen him…what a guy! He said I was all he needed!"

"Wow…I could never imagine Shadow saying that…" Tails said, still stunned by the news. "Are you sure he isn't up to something? Who knows when he could turn evil again?"

"He was lonely…I was lonely…things just worked out. But I am being careful. Oh, I can't wait to tell Sonic!"

"You just hooked up with him to make Sonic jealous, didn't you?" Tails asked in a mildly scolding tone. "I know you'd do something like that!" Amy suddenly heard her doorbell ring.

"Sorry Tails, I think that's him at the door," she said quickly. "Bye!" She hung up and raced to her door. She looked through the peephole to see who it was. Shadow was there, as she had hoped. She opened the door.

"You can take that thing off now, Shadow," she said. Shadow took the hood and entered the room. He was immediately struck by several paintings of hers that hung around the apartment. All of them were of surprising quality.

"Wow, Amy…you sure are quite the artist…I never thought you as the artsy type. When did you start doing art?"

"About two and a half years ago. I started taking classes. I suppose it's a way for me to vent. When I'm happy, I usually paint. I draw most of the time, though."

Shadow was examining one of the paintings. It was a self-portrait of Amy tossing a framed picture of Sonic over her shoulder. She seemed content with herself in that moment frozen in time.

"I see you found my latest work…I started that about a week ago, and finished it yesterday…when we met. I didn't know what I wanted to have myself throwing over my shoulder…when you came to me…I knew how to finish it."

Shadow nodded. "So the picture represents you getting over Sonic?"

"You could say that," she replied. "Say, you want me to draw you a portrait?"

"Well, I suppose…"

"Great! Go sit over there in the light, would you?"

Shadow did so, and posed as best as he could.

"How's this, Amy?" he asked.

"That's too rigid. Be a little more natural."

Shadow adjusted his position to a more comfortable one.

"How about now?" he asked.

"Perfect! Now hold still…" she said. She eyed him carefully, and began her work. She moved her pencil carefully, and occasionally glanced around the easel to make sure she was getting a certain curve just right. It took her a half-hour before she felt satisfied with her work.

"Okay…I have enough to finish on my own; you can get up now."

Shadow did so, and went over to examine Amy's progress. It was quite good, but one thing did surprise the ebon hedgehog…Amy had put a little smile on his face, rather than his typical neutral expression.

"Cute…veeery cute!" Shadow groaned. "You know very well I didn't look like that!"

"I think you look fine with a smile," Amy replied with a smile of her own.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Amy did WHAT?" Sonic exclaimed loudly when Tails told him the news. It had been about two hours since the conversation between Amy and Tails on the sudden hook-up. "You had too much sugar again, have you, Tails?" They were at their usual hangout on top of one of the smaller buildings in Central City. Sonic had been lounging around, and Tails was fixing with one of Sonic's broken radios. The blue blur smashed them often, usually because they would wake him up to a song he hated. Tails didn't mind fixing them, though.

"The girl told me herself," the fox replied without even looking at Sonic. "She _has _changed a lot in the past few years. Face it Sonic…she's not the same Amy anymore. I suspect puberty does that to people. Shadow's return at this timeis probably just a coincidence."

"Still…I can't believe she's over me!" Sonic replied in a slight moan.

Tails stopped and snickered. "I think you liked the attention, didn't you? C'mon…admit it..."

Sonic shrugged off this comment. "Bah! There are probably loads of other girl hedgehogs just dying to be with me! I am the world's greatest hero, aren't I…and who doesn't love a big hero? I'm sure she's just trying to make me jealous!"

"If she is…it's doing an awfully good job!" Tails mocked.

Sonic had just about enough of his friend's chatter. "You know what? I'm going to go straight over to Amy's place and learn the truth! You coming, Tails?"

"Right behind you…as always."

Sonic hopped to the ground in his usual fancy fashion, with Tails in tow, in order to find Amy and Shadow. They didn't get far before Sonic spotted the two heading up the stairs to the Westopolis Museum of World History, chatting it up as well. What was even more surprising was that Shadow had not bothered to hide his face. He was confidently walking around in broad daylight, in the middle of a crowded city. Either people had already forgotten about him, or just plain didn't notice him.

"Well Sonic…aren't you going to say hello?" Tails asked in a slightly annoying tone.

"Just come on…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Where are you taking me?" Shadow exclaimed as Amy pulled him along through the museum halls. "Can't you just tell me about it instead of dragging me through this crowd?"

"It's the newest exhibit! Come and see!" Amy squealed. As they rounded another corner, she stopped short. Inertia made Shadow skid a bit. When he regained his bearings, he found himself in an exhibit that he would not have expected to see: "The History of Our Furry Neighbors" was the title of the area.

"Wow…an entire exhibit devoted entirely to our own kind! Isn't it cool, Shadow?"

"I suppose so…but let's do this in an orderly fashion, shall we?"

The two began looking at the different periods in the history of the Mobian race. There were all sorts of old relics in the glass cases…but one thing caught their attention the most: a two-thousand-year-old carving of four warriors, all decked in armor, attacking three evil-looking figures. Two of the warriors were echidnas, one was a hedgehog and a third was a female three-tailed fox. Between them were seven gems. The rest of the tablet was broken, but another pair of feet could be seen.

Shadow looked this over in a mildly astonished manner. The demon that the katana-wielding fox faced had a very strong resemblance to Black Doom. Amy directed his attention to a text box nearby.

"It says here that according to ancient hedgehog legend, there were three hideous and powerful demons who tried to get the seven Chaos Emeralds and destroy the world. But four noble heroes, using sacred weapons forged by "the undefeated one", defeated the trio and their combined forces. Two of the demons were imprisoned in the earth, but one escaped into the stars, vowing revenge. The demon that escaped was supposed to have used great metal flying machines and blasts of searing, unholy light to terrorize the peoples of the Earth."

"That sounds a lot like Black Doom…" Shadow commented. "I wonder if anyone has made the connection…"

"I don't know…people can be pretty dense sometimes," Amy said, shrugging her shoulders. "Anyway, it also says that the second had a vast horde of evil dragons to do his bidding. The third was a master of seduction, and uses a black whip to dominate his foes."

"Sounds like Black Doom had some competition...good thing he's dead, and the other two are imprisoned. What were their names?"

"The whip-wielder was Leawdak, while the dragon demon was…Ragozine…"

_Ragozine…_the name struck a disturbing chord in Amy's mind…she had heard the name in her dreams…she had seen the name written by her own unwilling hand.

Shadow decided to finish the text. "It goes on to say that the demons will try to destroy the world again…do you have any idea what this means, Amy?"

"What does what mean, Shadow?" Sonic's voice asked from behind them.

"Sonic!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you…and now that I've found you…I want answers…what the heck are you two doing together?"

"We're on a date, Sonic…" Amy quickly answered. "You have a problem with that?"

"Well…uh…" Sonic stuttered. He realized that he had backed himself into a proverbial corner. His true feelings were now as plain as day.

Shadow chuckled a little at this pathetic situation. "I think you're jealous of me…that I have Amy and you don't…that I, the one whom you thought could never be loved, has the one girl you're afraid to admit that you desire…"

Amy didn't like what she was hearing. Sonic, despite his seeming lack of respect for her, was still her friend, so she decided to protest. "Shadow…you don't have to rub it in his face…"

"Nah…I'm done…" Shadow said, and complacently started to the other end of the room, smug from his successful assault on Sonic's ego. Amy gave one last forlorn look at Sonic and followed her boyfriend.

Sonic was just about ready to lash out at Shadow when he felt his arm stopped. Tails had grabbed it before he could anything.

"Don't ruin their happiness, Sonic…"


	3. Chapter 3: Martial Test

**Chapter Three**

After Shadow had left, Amy was alone once more…alone with her art. She was tired, but couldn't get herself to sleep, so she decided to draw until she could fall asleep. Sitting down at her drawing desk, she began her lazy work.

Her work seemed innocent enough: cute drawings of her friends were among the subjects she drew. But as time passed, it began to take a turn for the strange. Her hand seemed to move without her knowledge…as if it was being manipulated by someone else. When Amy finally got a grip on herself, she took one look at her work, and she turned pale. Somehow, she had drawn her own hand, grasping a human skull, with the words "All Hail the Blood Rose Dragon" carved into the forehead. The skull's eyes seemed to have an evil inner light…

_Ragozine...that name again…why does it seem so familiar, _she wondered. This was the fourth time in the past two months that she had drawn an image with the name written into it. Thankfully, no one had ever seen these disturbing works, and only one person besides herself knew of them. Quickly, she stuffed the sinister doodle into an electric paper shredder.

_I seriously need to stop doodling when I can't sleep, _she thought to herself. Sleep was finally coming to her eyes, so she crawled into bed, and let peaceful sleep enter her. Tomorrow was another day, and she would be with her darling Shadow.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Hi, Master Khang," Amy called as she tossed down her gym bag. She was the local martial arts studio, where she would spend about two hours every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in a one-on-one session with the aging but vigorous master. She was paying for these sessions by helping with his Tuesday class. It was a Saturday, so she had her private session.

"Hello little rose petal," the old man greeted in return, using one of his many pet names for his favorite student. "Are you well? I can sense great turbulence in your mind waves."

"Yes…and no. What shall I start with…my joys or my troubles?"

"It is always to reveal the bright side after the dark," Khang said in a Confucian tone.

"Very well then…I made another of _those _drawings again."

"Oh…that is not good. You must try to avoid making art when your soul hovers between the dreaming and waking worlds. But tell me the good news. The turbulence still seemed positive."

"I finally found a boyfriend…his name is Shadow."

The old man raised one of his grey eyebrows. "Shadow the Hedgehog? I remember him…I was caught in rubble when he pulled me out."

"In fact…I told him to meet me here in a little while. You can thank him."

"Perhaps I will…but do get into your uniform first."

Amy realized that she had never gotten into her uniform, and quickly went to do so. Her outfit was a white uniform, with a red belt tied around her waist, signifying her rank.

The old man glanced at the belt, and seemed to remember something. "Oh, and I have reviewed your progress over the past few months, and I think you are ready for your black belt test. Do you feel ready?"

"I need a little warm-up first. Then I'll do it."

"Very well…take all the time you need. When you are ready, let me know."

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Here's the place, Shadow," Espio said, having led the cloaked hedgehog to the studio where Amy was. "…Khang Studio. Don't worry…the old man is very trusting."

"Thanks, Espio. Care to come?" Shadow asked.

"Meh…I guess so. The agency's work has been awfully slow."

Shadow and Espio entered the studio.

"Hello? Master Khang?" Espio called. "It's me, Espio!"

"Oh, come in, Espio! It's just the little rose petal right now!"

"Rose petal?" Shadow asked.

"That's his pet name for Amy," Espio replied.

The two entered the main training hall. Amy was by a window with her eyes closed, apparently mentally readying herself for her black belt test.

"Amy…I believe Shadow is here," the old man called to her. Amy didn't respond for a few seconds, and then turned to face Khang.

"Okay; I'm ready, Master Khang…oh, hi Shadow! You're just in time!"

"For what, might I ask?" Shadow inquired.

"She's about to take her test for the advancement to black belt."

Espio was aghast. "What? But she just got her red belt only thirty-two days ago, Sensei! No student has ever been able to get to that level so quickly without artificial aid!"

"I am surprised as well…but she had reached the quota for the test. And I would have known if she used such things simply by reading her mind waves. But perhaps you two could be of assistance?"

The old man handed Shadow two short slabs of concrete, each about one-and-a-half inches thick. After being directed on how to group and hold them, the two readied themselves. Amy seemed to know what to do, so she readied herself.

"Get ready, boys…" she said. After entering a guard stance, she delivered a powerful side kick to the slabs Shadow held…and snapped them. The force was sufficient to make the somewhat rickety building waver a slight amount, as well as making Shadow slide back about two inches.

The old man's mouth dropped open. "Incredible, Amy…I've never seen such tremendous ability! Never has anyone your age ever been able to get this building to shake when breaking a stone!"

Espio gave a mistrustful glare at Amy, suspecting that she was up to something. "Still…pure strength a black belt does not make."

"True, Espio…that is why we have the next part…the test of reflexes," Master Khang said. Without warning, he tried to deliver a roundhouse kick to Amy's head. Almost instinctively, she raised her arm to block the attack, and countered with a low roundhouse. The old man deftly leapt away, began strafing her.

"The old man loves this part," Espio whispered to Shadow. The old man advanced carefully before feinting a straight punch to Amy's belly. Amy anticipated this and caught Master Khang's real attack: a chop to her neck…this time she grabbed him by the arm and delivered a powerful jump kick to the old man's belly, sending him staggering into the wall.

"Very good, Amy…let's see if you can block this!" The old man bounded forward with a flying side kick. Amy didn't need to block it, and just stepped out of the way. The old man hit the ground, and rolled on landing.

"Excellent, rose petal! Most actually try to block that, when you just dodged it…sometimes the most obvious way to avoid an attack is the best way to do so. You have listened well. The test is over. There is no need to test your knowledge of routines…"

"I did it?" she asked excitedly. "Woohoo!"

Shadow, while watching all this, was in astonishment. Amy's speed and strength were much greater than he had imagined…he started to wonder if she was something not quite mortal.

"…with flying colors, rose petal…and I think you are ready for something I have not taught to anyone for years…using your store of cosmic energy to enhance your techniques."

Shadow was now very interested. He remembered Doctor Gerald doing some research on the nature of cosmic energy. He had discovered that the relics known as the Chaos Emeralds had immense stores of this energy, which flows through all living things. The Hedgehog race was fairly in tune with this energy.

"Master Khang…I know a lot of cosmic energy…" Shadow interrupted. "You know of Doctor Gerald Robotnik, do you not?"

The old man dug through his memories for a moment, then nodded. "Yes…he and I were friends. I helped him in his research on cosmic energy, and made him a believer…no…one who knows it exists…now that I recall, Shadow…he told me about you!"

"I thought he was completely isolated on the ARK!" Amy protested. "And how did you know the doctor? He died fifty-three years ago!"

Master Khang shook his head. "I was a young man of twenty-two then, Espio, and we had our ways. Anyway, Shadow…he said many good things about you…I was unsure of them, with your name being Shadow and all…but three years ago, I changed my opinion entirely…do you recall an old man about my age you saved from the wreckage of a building?"

"That was you, Master Khang?" Shadow exclaimed. "I would have never known…I was just doing the right thing. But you're very welcome. Anyway…let's see some of these…I might know a few. Perhaps I could even provide examples."

Master Khang nodded, and finally turned to Amy. "First, let me present you with your black belt. But your journey on the path of martial arts is far from over. It has only begun. Are you ready, rose petal?"

"Yes, Sensei…"

And so, Amy's first lesson in cosmic energy use began. The old man proved to have surprising abilities: he used his cosmic energy to improve his speed and strength. She watched in interest as the old man began dashing up and down the walls as if his feet were magnets and the walls were iron. Shadow wouldn't be very impressed, except that this was a human doing it, and an old one at that. Of course, when all was said and done, Khang was very tired.

"As you can see, it is hard for someone like me to draw upon that energy without wearing out one's life force. From what I've heard, your kind is able to do it more easily. Perhaps your friend Shadow would be best to teach you these things…" he glanced over to the black hedgehog.

"Me? It just comes naturally to me, and you can't teach something like that."

"I am too old, Shadow…you are virtually immortal and eternally young…if anyone could do it…it is you. I cannot teach anymore to my little rose petal…"

Shadow sighed and agreed to this. But the lesson was over, and Amy bade the old man goodbye.

"Take care, young one…I can sense that something big is going to happen to you." The old man could not have been more right…

-- -- -- -- --

"You're a fast learner, Amy," Shadow complemented as Amy showed great skill in using some of Shadow's lesser known Chaos powers. They were atop on of the flat-roofed buildings near Amy's apartment, and Shadow was beginning to give her a tutorial on Chaos powers. She was nowhere close to learning Shadow's signature ability, but he eagerly hoped to teach her the technique. Amy's skill, though it pleased Shadow, made him wonder about her. The female hedgehog in the carving that they saw yesterday oddly resembled her…and for that matter, the two males looked like Sonic and himself...there had to be a connection between the Black Arms, that legend, and Amy's drastic physical improvements.

As he contemplated this, he heard the whirring of helicopter blades, and the sound of police sirens. They were all heading toward downtown, and when Shadow looked over there, he saw smoke…and then heard roaring. Amy heard it too, apparently. Out from behind a building came…a dragon.

"What the…dragons!" Shadow exclaimed. "Something big is going on…stay here, Amy." He started off, but Amy stopped him.

"Shadow…let me come with you! I can help now!" she pleaded.

"It's too dangerous! You'll probably get killed!" Shadow cried with a great deal of concern.

"I'm coming with you, and you can't stop me!"

Shadow, knowing that Amy had made up her mind, shook his head in dismay and jumped off the building. Amy followed suit, with almost equal speed.


	4. Chapter 4: Rising Evil

**Chapter Four**

"Go, my pretties!" the hedgehog dracomancer cackled, "Destroy! Destroy! Make the humans know that you are the masters!" Six winged dragons, each roughly ten feet long, were causing all sorts of chaos in the downtown of Westopolis. G.U.N. was on the scene, doing their insufficient best to fight off the monsters...because the bullets from their guns simplybounced off the dragons' hides as if they were mere rubber balls. Meanwhile, the dragons were absolutely roasting everything caught in their breath weapons.

"Hey, coming through!" Sonic said in his usual cocky manner as he leapt off one of the buildings and right into one of the dragons' heads with a homing attack. He had also caught wind of this activity, and decided to have some fun. The dracomancer only chuckled in amusement. He had hoped that Sonic would come, for he was an important part of his real plan.

"Smite that blue hedgehog, my pets!" he screeched, pointing at Sonic. Three of the dragons turned their attention to Sonic, and fired off shots at him. Sonic deftly dodged them, of course. Moments later, Shadow and Amy appeared on the scene, much to the surprise of the troops.

"Sonic!" Amy yelled. "Shadow and I have come to help!"

"I'm fine, you two! Take down the other three!" he yelled back as he vaulted over a pair of fireballs. Shadow and Amy, without second thoughts, began their own attacks. None of them had any idea what the dracomancer was really up to.

_Fool…I have him right where I want him, _the dracomancer said to himself. He continued to watch the chaos from afar, waiting for just the right moment. His dragons were getting beaten around by repeated homing attacks, but did not back down, for they knew their true mission.

As Sonic vaulted over a dragon's head about fifteen away from the dracomancer, the trap was sprung. He cast a strange net at Sonic, ensnaring him in midair. The dragons suddenly stopped and began to fly away. They did what they had been told to do, and there was no need for any more destruction.

"Sonic!" Amy cried when she saw this.

"Who are you!" Shadow yelled up to Sonic's captor.

"I am the greatest dracomancer who ever lived! That is all I will tell you! If you two want to see your little friend again, bring six of the seven Chaos Emeralds to the base of Doctor Eggman!"

"Amy! Shadow! Don't listen!" Sonic yelled back.

The dracomancer chuckled again. "Oh…the pink one is Amy, eh? I know you very well, Miss Rose. But I must go now…I bid you all, adieu!" The dracomancer warped away with Sonic, watched helplessly by Shadow and Amy.

"I've got to follow him…" Amy said in her determined manner. "If that creep knows anything about me that I don't, it's time I learned it!" With that, she took off.

"Wait! Amy!" Shadow said as he followed suit. "You don't even know where you're going!"

And so began the pair's adventure…to save a friend, find the Chaos Emeralds and discover the mystery behind Amy's past. But perhaps neither of them could ever have been ready for what they were about to learn…

-- -- -- -- --

"Hello again, Doctor…" the dracomancer said as he entered Doctor Eggman's main chamber, with Sonic behind him, bound by hands and feet. Robots were at work around the area, but all stopped to see this guest. There was no doubt in the dracomancer's mind that these machines would be cheering at this sight, if they could. But they had not even the slightest shred of real intelligence. He stood before the Doctor, who spun in his chair to face the dracomancer.

"Excellent! You have my prize!" the doctor said gleefully to him before turning to Sonic. "Well, look how the mighty have fallen! I've waited for ages for this moment! To see you in chains gives me so much joy!" He turned back to the dracomancer."As for you, my dear friend…I'll give you the Chaos Emerald as promised. And remember…when you take over the world, I get a share of the pie!"

"I'll see what I can do," the dracomancer said as he received the Emerald. "He's all yours, but you should expect company…Shadow and Amy Rose are, without a doubt, headed this way."

"What? Are you mad! They'll destroy this place for sure!" the doctor cried.

"Patience, my dear Doctor…it is all part of the big plan…if you cooperate with me, and I shall give you your seat of power in my new world order of dragons as I promised."

"So…what IS the big plan?"

"You're such a nosy little scientist!" the dracomancer replied with a chuckle. He began whispering something into Eggman's ear, and the doctor's expression turned from casual interest to an evil grin. After a few minutes of this, the doctor slapped his knees with evil joy.

"That's fiendish! Absolutely underhanded! Such beautiful disaster! It's brilliant! I can't wait to see the look on that Amy Rose's face when she learns the truth! I'm already getting chills just thinking about it!" the doctor said.

"What are you two creeps talking about?" Sonic spat. "If I ever get out of these chains, I'm going to give you two such a butt-kicking!" Sonic struggled with bonds, but to no avail. The two laughed at Sonic's pathetic effort.

"You can't escape them!" the dracomancer mocked. "They were forged from adamant, metal I have extracted from comets! It's virtually unbreakable! The Doctor's new robots will be armored with this metal, and when his army joins forces with my own unstoppable dragons, we shall take over the world! Dragons will rule, and all other life-forms shall bow down to them!"

Sonic was incensed by this statement. "You won't get away with it! The bad guys always get what's coming to them, one way or another!"

"Go, my pawns, get that fool out of my sight!" Doctor Eggman said. Three robots grabbed Sonic and dragged him away.

-- -- -- -- --

The television in the G.U.N. office gave only dismal news. _"Dragon attacks continue across the globe as G.U.N. forces do their very best to contain this new menace that seems to have appeared out of nowhere. What makes this more terrible is that this is only three years after the terrible incidents with the black creatures…to make matters worse, the hero known as Sonic the Hedgehog was kidnapped while trying to fend off an attack in Westopolis. Reports by G.U.N soldiers have stated that two hedgehogs, one of them identified to be Shadow the Hedgehog, were overhead to be planning to pursue the kidnapper…the other is an unknown female…_"

The commander stood up from his desk when he saw the image of Amy and Shadow. He then smiled and sat back down in his chair. The work on his secret pet project was nearing its culmination. One of the officers burst in.

"Sir, Another attack in…um, what are you smiling about, sir?" the officer asked.

"All the work on of our greatest project ever is nearing fruition…I think it's time we gave him a call…it's time that the truth be known."

"What are you talking about, sir?"

"That's classified information, soldier…now…where was that attack?"

"In the European Federation capital, sir…we're estimating 1,200 civilian deaths and 50,000 people injured. These dragons are unstoppable! And without Sonic, there's no hope…unless you mean to…"

"Yes, soldier…_she's_ going to be the one to stop them…and once those dragons have met their match, she'll be ready to usher in a new age! You're dismissed, soldier."

The officer saluted the commander and left. He flipped off the television and began dialing his phone. It rung a few times before a voice picked it up.

"Hello?"

The commander leaned back in his chair. "Lieutenant Yakujo…glad I caught you…"

"Omigosh…Commander! Why are you calling me?"

"It's about her…"

"What about her…is it time already? She should have another three years at least!"

"Times are dire, Lieutenant. She has to learn the truth…she's old enough."

"Who knows how she'll react? Puberty is an already unstable time, sir…the shock will drive her mad! You plan toset her on a course that no being should take!"

"That's an order…we can't just wait for her to mature fully! By that time we'll all be either food or slaves for these vicious dragons!"

"Yes, sir…I'll get on it." The lieutenant hung up.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Looks like rain," Shadow said as he looked up. It had been a long day of travel, but they managed to get quite a distance. Clouds were gathering, and thunder could be heard rumbling from afar. "We need to find shelter, and fast. You'll need to rest."

"What about you," Amy asked, "don't you need rest?"

"I was designed to never need sleep…but I suppose forty winks couldn't hurt. I just wish we could find a place to sleep…you really should have brought a tent or something."

"Sorry…I was in a rush," Amy apologized. As they came over the next hill, an overpass came into sight, much to their relief. It wouldn't be much, but at least they would be dry and safe from the storm.

"I hope you don't mind bright lights a lot…people still come on this road, even in the dead of night, you know."

"Better than sleeping out in the open…" Amy replied. By now they had reached the overpass…but it looked like someone else was there…a brown hedgehog with a leather jacket, sunglasses and a white shirt was lounging there, next to what appeared to be an opening on the inside of the overpass!

"Looks like we'll have company tonight…rough company," Shadow whispered.

The hedgehog took notice to them. "Are you two looking for a place to spend the night?"

"Sure…I guess…" Shadow replied. "Thanks for your kindness." Amy, on the other hand, quickly noticed who this stranger actually was.

"Yakujo!" she squealed.

"Little Amy…my little sis…great to see ya!" he responded.

"Little sister…what the…I never knew you had a brother, Amy!" Shadow said, somewhat astonished. He couldn't believe, out of all the coincidences that could happen…that the one overpass they decide to take shelter in was occupied by Amy's brother. The three entered the opening in the overpass, and found a small, but pleasant shelter. There was a fire going on the back wall, and a small bed was nearby. Three short stools were also arranged on the floor, around a small radio. There were several guns leaning against the north wall.

"Oh…you must be Shadow. The name's Lieutenant Yakujo."

"You're with G.U.N.?" he asked.

"Yeah…he pays for practically everything for me…my rent…my food…oh, he's the best! But…what are you doing all the way out here?"

"Keeping an eye out for those dragons…they're really starting to worry me…the whole planet was barely finished recovering from the attacks of those black creatures. And I'm starting to wonder if there's a connection…" Yakujo stared at the fire.

"Shadow and I were thinking the same thing…" Amy replied in agreement. "Were you at the Westopolis Museum of World History recently?"

Yakujo found the statement silly. "No, I haven't…why? What would that place have that could relate these dragon incidents to the black creatures? This world isn't that predictable."

Amy sighed. "Maybe you're right…but anyway, we're out to find Sonic…he was kidnapped by whoever is controlling the dragons…that creep was in Westopolis! He said he knew something about my past…do you know anything?"

Yakujo paused for a moment, and then answered. "That guy must be nuts! He knows nothing about you!"

Amy fell for his lie. "That's good. I was wondering if you had something to hide. But you never lied to me, did you?" The irony was a little hard for Yakujo to take.

"No…not that I can remember. At least…nothing major…"

Shadow was getting very suspicious of this character. Though Yakujo was pretty good at fooling Amy, his lies were as plain as day to Shadow. But whatever Yakujo was hiding would become his secret too. He just had to wait for the right time to force the truth out of him.

"We're after the Chaos Emeralds…I suspect you may know where some of them are?" Shadow said, breaking the silence that had lasted a minute or two.

"G.U.N. has been keeping five of them. One of them was taken by Doctor Eggman, and thelast onehas gone missing." Yakujo replied emotionlessly, before his tone turned angrier. "If you want the five G.U.N. has, you can forget it…there is no way we're letting those things fall into the wrong hands, even if it does mean losing the world's greatest hero! It's too great a risk to take!"

"Bro…c'mon…Sonic's a really good friend of mine! We have to help him!" Amy pleaded. An idea came to her. "Besides, we aren't actually going to GIVE them the Emeralds!"

"Huh? How are we going to beat him with only six Emeralds?" Shadow asked.

"We steal it from him, and then you give him a dose of Super power!"

"Great idea, Amy…" Shadow said. "So…will you help us now?"

"Alright…I guess I will," Yakujo agreed. "But now's the time to get some rest…we have a long day of travel ahead…I'll see if I can get the Commander to give them up…"

"Thanks, big brother! You're the best!" Amy said, hugging her brother lovingly.

-- -- -- -- --

_Another flying dream, Amy wondered….No…this wasn't the same as others might have. Below her was an entire city blazing with flames in blue, red, white and yellow. All around she could hear the beating of giant wings…it was very close. She decided to land in the city and see what was happening._

_When she did, people screamed and ran from her, terrified of her visages. Soldiers with guns ran up to her and began shooting her with guns. The bullets bounced off her harmlessly. But she didn't want to fight them…why were they shooting her? But without seemingly knowing, a great heat began to well up in her lungs. Desperate to get rid of this heat, she exhaled as hard as she could. Fire came out, and the soldiers screamed in pain. _

_This isn't supposed to happen…Amy tried to say she was sorry…but no words came. Only the grunts and growls of a monster issued forth. Something had happened to her. She looked around for help. Out of an alley came a source of hope…Shadow. She tried to call him, but again the grunts and growls came. Shadow looked at her dispassionately, before picking up a nearby rocket launcher dropped by one of the soldiers._

"_Get away from here, you monster!" he said before firing a shot off. The impact slammed into her shoulder, delivering a wound. She clasped the wound, and saw her hand…but it had become a claw…a dragon's claw…Shadow pointed to a nearby window. Amy stared into it and screeched in horror at what she had become. Then she looked at Shadow again…the dracomancer was in his place, holding a human skull…it read "All Hail the Blood Rose Dragon…"_

"No!" she cried when she awoke with a start. Her heart was racing and she was in a cold sweat…typical nightmare fare. Shadow was awake too. He was holding something large, glittering and white in his hand, and he was smiling a little. When he heard Amy wake up, he turned to her.

"Sounds like you were having a bad nightmare, Amy…welcome to my world," he said. "Take a look here. It looks like your brother WAS hiding something…one of the Chaos Emeralds. I wonder what he was going to do with it."

"Why were you going through his things? That's not right!"

"I suspected he was hiding something…but I think he still has more to hide besides this Chaos Emerald…stuff about you."

Amy was getting a little worried. "What about me?"

"Wish I knew," he replied. "But don't worry about it too much. They always give you nightmares. Trust me…I know."


	5. Chapter 5: All's Known?

**Chapter Five**

**Author's Note: **Sorry about the lack of updating. Things have been a little crazy…but here's the next chapter! And I'm also considering a change in title for this story…more on that later!

-- -- -- -- --

Extremely bored; these were the two words that could describe Sonic's state of mind as he sat there, languishing in the jail cell. Even after less than six hours, he was already about to go crazy. But his maddening solitude would soon be cut short by the arrival of someone who would change him forever…

"Lemme go, you mechanical monsters!" a girl's voice, somewhat deeper than Amy's, screamed as the metallic footsteps of Eggman's robots rang through the small stairwell. They came in, dragging a female hedgehog, no doubt the owner of the voice. She was struggling ferociously, but the four robots managed to hold on to her before tossing her into a cell very close to Sonic's. As they locked the cell door, she tried to rush them, but she could not do anything. When the robots left, she slowly calmed down.

The girl hedgehog, about seventeen years old, was a dark purple color, which brought out her nearly sapphire blue eyes. Her attire would have easily let her blend in at a rock concert. She had on a black T-shirt that had a picture of the planet, with the words, "The Earth is Full…Go Home" in large, bold, fiery orange letters. Her jeans were ripped in several places, and her dark shoes were all dirty and splattered with some sort of white stuff that had dried on. Her right ear was pierced three times with small sterling silver studs. Sonic was eager for conversation, so he decided to ease the newcomer's anger.

"Woah! Calm down there," he said in his usual brash and cocky manner. The girl gave him a short glance, before beginning to pace the floor. Obviously she wasn't in the mood to talk…but Sonic was persistent, even when given the cold shoulder.

"Hello in there!" he called. The girl sighed, and turned to face the blue hedgehog.

"Hello to you, too…" she grunted, before going back to her pacing. Sonic was incensed. No girl he had ever met had dared to answer him like that…then again…he never met many girls. So he tried again.

"The name's Sonic. I guess we'll be stuck together for a while. So we might as well talk. So…why don't you give me your name, so we can actually make some decent conversation?"

The girl turned to face him again. "If you really want to know my name…it happens to Tahra…with an H. I really hate it when people don't put the H. Happy now?"

Sonic stood up. "Tahra, huh? That's a pretty good name. I hated the name I was given at birth…I haven't used it for so long, I forgot it. All I can remember is that it started with a W…or was it an R?"

"You must have pretty lame parents," Tahra replied. She seemed to be getting interested. "What are they like?" Her expression turned from a cold expression of indifference to a small smirk of mild inquiry.

Sonic stopped for a minute. He had never thought about his family in years. He couldn't even remember what they looked like. He couldn't even remember the first few years of his life. All he could remember was everything that happened after the accident. He had lived on his own for a few months before he was found by a few hedgehogs that dwelled in Station Square. He had lived with his adopted family until he was thirteen, when they went out one night and never came back. He set out on his own after that.

"Wish I knew…never met them," he replied. "At least my real ones. My adopted ones gave me the name I use now. They disappeared one night, though. I've lived on my own for about six years now."

Tahra's look now shifted to a look of dejected sadness. "To tell you the truth…I miss _my_ parents. Lame as they were…they're the only parents I ever knew." Tahra was silent for a second, as if she was trying to grasp what she had just said. "This is so weird…I've only know you for…what, one minute…and now we're both spilling out our life stories to each other. I feel like we're in some sort of novel where the plot is being rushed for no reason. Isn't it crazy?"

"Life's like that sometimes." Sonic replied in a surprisingly deep way that seemed very unlike what he usually was. He, too, stopped himself by clapping his hand over his mouth. Tahra seemed to find this funny.

"You sounded like such an airhead when you said that! Oh, man, that's rich!"

Despite the fact that he had just been poked fun at, Sonic began to laugh along with her. It didn't last long, but both seemed to be cheered up significantly afterwards. The dreary cell seemed to brighten just a little at that moment. Tahra finally initiated a new topic.

"So…what does that dragon rider and the mad scientist want with you?" she asked. She had no knowledge of Sonic's many encounters with the Doctor.

"The dracomancer, as he calls himself, is mum about that. The Doctor and I go way back…as enemies. The name of Sonic the Hedgehog, world hero extraordinaire and fastest thing alive, rings no bells?"

Tahra nodded. "I thought I recognized that name. You were my little brothers' hero…but he's gone too." Her expression turned sad again.

"Man…when did this all happen?"

"Two days ago…just before the dragon attacks began. I woke up that night…and found one…" the girl finally started to break down and sob with grief.

Sonic began to grow angry. He held up a clenched fist. "That monster…if we ever get out of here, I swear that those two will pay dearly!"

"You…would do that?" she whimpered, lifting her head.

"I promise…but I can't do that now…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

"So…this dracomancer decided to attack Central City now…" Shadow said as the trio surveyed the rising flames coming from the center of downtown. "We should go help."

"What about finding Sonic?" Yakujo asked.

"Sonic isn't going anywhere…" Amy answered. She immediately started forward. She was intent on showing her brother how far she had come. Shadow and Yakujo quickly followed her.

Indeed, the main square was overrun with the scaly winged fire-breathers, numbering almost nine or ten. Some were chasing terrified citizens, others were torching buildings, and still others were smashing anything they could find. And, just as before, the dracomancer watched all this from his armored steed. He took noticed of the three rushing to the square. His dragons stopped attacking, and lined themselves up in two rows of five, like soldiers in formation.

"You!" Amy yelled up angrily. "Who do you think you are, just waltzing in here and slaughtering the innocent! Come down here and fight me one-on-one!"

"Amy, are you nuts!" Yakujo exclaimed.

The dracomancer chuckled. "Big words from such a puny girl…but I'm getting bored just sitting up here. I'll humor you." He gracefully leapt from his airborne steed, his massive cape flapping. When he stood up, his features, partially obscured by darkness, were now apparent. His face was covered by a scaly-face mask, and his plate armor seemed made entirely of bones. His body color was a dark grey, and looking through the eyeholes in the mask were eyes of different colors. One was a blood red, much like Shadow's, while the other was a golden color. Then it hit her…this was the same individual in her dream. Her memory flashed back to the tablet in the museum…

"You're…no…"

The dracomancer laughed. "Yes! I am the demon lord of evil dragons, sealed away by the sacred hammer millennia ago! I am he who haunts your dreams, Amy Rose!"

"Ragozine!" Shadow exclaimed. "Amy! He'll slaughter you!"

Ragozine chuckled. "Nonsense, my little rosebud…I'll go easy on you…after all, you're nothing but a little girl…"

Amy screeched in anger and rushed him with a dashing punch. He deftly dodged it and pushed her into the concrete ground, causing her to skid several yards. He chuckled as she got up. Her chin was all scratched and scraped, but all that was severely wounded was her pride.

"Oh, come now…surely you can do better! I know you're not _that_ predictable!"

Amy was both confused and incensed by this. "How do you know me?"

"I know everything about you, Amy. I know who you truly are…and what your purpose in life is. I can help you change your destiny…I can give you power beyond your wildest dreams!"

"Fat chance, you nimrod! I won't join you so easily!" Amy retorted.

Shadow, meanwhile, had been watching in interest. He would have come to Amy's rescue if Ragozine had done anything else. But he just stood there, flapping his yap…his guard completely down. This demon was obviously far more powerful than Shadow had imagined.

"Ragozine! What do you want with the Chaos Emeralds…and Amy?" he finally said to him.

Ragozine cackled at this statement. "Do you think I'm a fool like that moron of a mad scientist, Doctor Robotnik? But I suspect you know what I'd do with the Chaos Emeralds…"

"World domination…of course. That's what every maniac who sought them wanted." Yakujo answered. "But their plans always end in failure!"

"Not this time, fools. Besides, all my work has been done for me!" With a wave of his hand, the white Chaos Emerald magically appeared into his hand. "Thanks for bringing me the Chaos Emerald, Lieutenant. Now, Miss Rose…if you want to know the truth…go to G.U.N. headquarters. They have all the answers to who you are there. Perhaps you'll change your mind."

"No matter what I learn…I'll never join you…" Amy growled.

"I wouldn't be so quick to say that," Ragozine replied. His mount touched down, and with a leap as graceful as his dismounting, he remounted his steed, and began to take off.

Shadow wasn't about to let him just get away. "Not this time…Chaos Control!"

"…Chaos Turn!" was Ragozine's almost simultaneous reply. Less than a second after Shadow disappeared, he reappeared only inches from where he was before.

"No dice, Shadow…Mass Chaos Control!" With that, Ragozine, his steed and all of his dragons warped away at once."

_He just…stopped Shadow's Chaos Control…then moved all of his minions with his own…this guy IS powerful…_Amy thought to herself.

"Damn! How did Ragozine manage to negate me!" Shadow growled as he got up. Amy came running over as he did.

"Shadow…we need to go to G.U.N. headquarters! I have to know…am I really who I think I am?"

Yakujo was quick to disagree. "No…we have to rescue Sonic first, and beat Ragozine. We don't have the so-called sacred hammer…but there must be a way."

"Like Amy said…Sonic can wait. We're heading to G.U.N. HQ. Get the Commander on the phone! I think he's got something to do with this…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

The Commander was just finishing up some paperwork when his phone rang again. He picked it up and held it between his head and right shoulder.

"What is it now, Lieutenant?"

"Hello, Commander…" came the voice on the other line…a voice that the Commander did not want to hear at all.

"Shadow! What the hell do you want, you devil?"

"Still not able to forgive me, are you?" Shadow replied with a chuckle. For some odd reason, he enjoyed listening to the Commander bellow at him like this.

"Just tell me what you want…"

"There's a pink hedgehog who's wondering about herself…and one Lieutenant Yakujo is obviously in on this scheme."

"You're flipping mad, Shadow…I don't know any pink hedgehog!"

Shadow was absolutely enraged. "Stop lying! TELL ME WHAT YOU DID TO MY GIRLFRIEND!"

A quiet sound of a girl's voice spoke something the Commander couldn't understand came over the line. Shadow responded to this by trying to calm her down.

When Shadow came back on, the Commander responded. "Did to her? _I _did nothing to her. This organization is barely even aware of her existence! Your so-called girlfriend is of no concern to us."

"Tell that to your Lieutenant…"

The Commander was livid. "What? GET YAKUJO ON THE LINE!"

A few seconds later, Yakujo came on.

"YAKUJO, YOU IDIOT! YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT IT WAS TOP SECRET! NO ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW!"

"Sir…Shadow figured it out on his own…and there was that demon named Ragozine as well…wasn't it your plan that she be told anyway?"

The Commander fumed silently for a minute. "Grrr…you're right. Bring them down here, on the double. The safety of the world is at stake." He slammed the phone down.

"Great…I better call old Professor Ullundara…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

_The light was in her eyes…she couldn't block it with her arms, since they were bound by metal clasps. Her legs were bound too. Soon the light was blocked by the shape of a tall, wiry man in a lab coat._

"_How's my little specimen today?" he said in a surprisingly kind voice. Amy couldn't respond, hard as she tried. All she could do was whimper. He moved away, and suddenly she felt herself moving forward…and a persistent squeaking noise started up. She was being taken somewhere else, on some sort of cart. And he was whistling some song. When the cart stopped moving, the wiry man returned into her field of vision._

"_Who's a cute little hedgie? You are!" the man squealed. He turned away, and his tone turned more serious. Another hedgehog appeared in the light. The whole scene was in monochrome, so she couldn't tell his appearance._

"_So…I trust the specimen is ready for it?"_

"_Indeed, Major."_

"_To think that soon Gerald will be overshadowed, pardon the pun, and by his own student, I might add! GUN will pay me…I mean us, tons of money for this!"_

"_I'm not in it for the money, Major. I want to help the world…"_

"_We each have our own purposes…shall we begin?"_

_Amy felt a sticking feeling in her arm, and suddenly everything began to spin…and the cackle of that laughter…_

Amy awoke suddenly, before the nightmarish part got underway. The dream was vivid in her mind, and the pieces of it were coming together. But she couldn't believe it…was it really a resurging memory? She turned to Shadow, who was awake as always.

"Had another nightmare again?" he said, giving her only a vague glance.

Amy shook her head. "Not exactly…I'm starting to figure it out…"

"…About who you are? Tell me about it. I might know something."

"Do you remember Professor Gerald having some sort…uh…apprentice or something? In my dream, I heard something about him overshadowing Gerald…"

"I think he did. His name was Geoffrey Ullundara…he was a young guy…about nineteen or twenty when I was made…wait…I think I have it."

Amy quickly came to the same realization. "I'm…an ultimate life form…but that doesn't make sense. I'm sure I was born naturally! I also remember being injected with some liquid before I woke up."

"You must have been given some chemical that modified your genes. That explains your sudden increases in strength and speed lately." Shadow was silent for a second, as something came to him. "Wow…we managed to figure this out all by ourselves…and without any trauma at all. It's a relief, but I can't help feeling that it's a bit anti-climactic."

"There's still the matter of this Ullundara guy. He has all my answers…and I'm going to find it out from him! We're going to G.U.N. headquarters anyway."


	6. Chapter 6: GUN Base

**Chapter Six**

"You're a sharp girl, sis…" Yakujo said with a great deal of relief when he learned that Amy had figured out her true identity on her own. "…I'm so glad I didn't have to break it to you. But…how do you feel about it?"

"I'm not sure what to make of it…there are still questions on my mind…why was I given these abilities...and what does Ragozine have to do with all this? If he knows me so well…he must have played a part in my enhancement...just like Black Doom was with Shadow."

"We can't really ever know…only the fiend himself knows that. But I suppose everything else will be answered at G.U.N. headquarters. Speaking of which, we're here. Talk about timing."

Amy was perplexed at first. All she saw a massive cliff shooting up several hundred feet, and no sign of any type of entrance. But then she noticed that the road went straight into the side of the cliff. After doing the math, she realized what it was, but didn't say anything. Yakujo strode over to the rock wall and opened up a hidden panel. With the single press of a button, a large part of the cliffside opened up.

"C'mon, they know it's us," he said.

-- -- -- -- -- --

The inside of the base where the Commander resided seemed more like an office than a military facility…people in uniform were scrambling around, gathering paperwork, answering phones and taking notes. When the three passed through, most of the people stopped and stared. A few of them whispered to their co-workers. Amy felt very uncomfortable with all this attention, so she was relieved when they reached a large door with tinted glass. Yakujo knocked on the door.

"Permission to enter, Commander?" Yakujo said in a military tone.

"Permission granted, Lieutenant," the voice of the Commander in the other room responded. Yakujo opened the door and let his companions in first. The Commander was writing on some papers before he looked up. Yakujo stood there in a stance of attention, as was required of subordinate officers.

"At ease, Lieutenant," he ordered, and Yakujo's position became more relaxed. "You may sit down…all of you." Amy and Yakujo pulled up chairs and sat down, but Shadow opted to remaining standing, though he found himself unconsciously fingering Amy's hair, which she didn't seem to mind.

The Commander stood up and looked intensely at Amy with his eyes…the startling color difference made her uncomfortable, and she avoided directly looking at him.

"So…you're the result of Project Minerva, eh?" he began.

Yakujo quickly protested. "Please, sir…my sister prefers to be treated like a person rather than an object. Her name is Amy." Shadow nodded in agreement, in a way that made it seem stronger than Yakujo's statement.

The Commander smirked a little. "Very well then…Amy it is. You have figured out what you are? And all on your own! I'm impressed."

"Yes…I was an attempt by your organization to manufacture a life form with similar abilities to Shadow, is it not the case?" Amy said, trying her best to be formal. It immediately felt uncomfortable for her.

The Commander nodded. "You're mostly right…there are a few things that you may not be aware of as to why you were made. But those will be revealed in time. And judging by Shadow's conversation with me, he seems to really have a thing for you."

"That's relevant…why?" Shadow asked.

The Commander chuckled at this. "The affection that seems to be developing between you two is not simply by chance…let's just say that the chemistry was just right."

"Are you saying…that I was _made _for Shadow?" Amy exclaimed. Though she did have feelings for him, this did not sound good to her at all. It seemed like she was bound to him…and Shadow seemed to be feeling the same way.

"What? That's what affection is! Having the proper chemistry…" the Commander said.

Amy was now disgusted with this. "To think that this is coming from a man who knows only war, and orders men to kill other men! How could YOU know ANYTHING about love?" She stood up and stared straight into the Commander's eyes.

Shadowgently pulled Amy back and took her aside for a moment. "He lost a loved one many years ago, Amy…" he whispered. "He's still bitter."

"Who was it?" Amy asked.

Shadow sighed. "It was Maria. He blamed me for her death."

"That's terrible! I can see why he holds such contempt for you…I'll try to be more understanding."

"Thanks…" The two came back in. Immediately, Amy apologized for her behavior and sat back down. Shadow hung toward the back of the room now.

The Commander chuckled. "It's a good thing you aren't a soldier, Amy…you'd have been stripped of your rank for that sort of tone…But back to the subject at hand. There's someone who would really like to see you again. Head to the stairwell, go down one floor, and it's the third door on your left. That's where they are."

Amy nodded. "Thank you, Commander…um…you never introduced yourself properly…"

"Everyone just calls me the Commander, and that's good enough for everyone here."

-- -- -- -- --

The hall below was bleached white and bright, almost like a sanitary room. Amy had to squint in order to make her way to the room. But soon enough, they found the door. It read "Doctor Ullundara" on the plaque outside. Amy swallowed in anxiety.

"What's wrong, Amy?" Yakujo asked. "Are you nervous?" She nodded a little.

Shadow put her hand on her shoulder. "I'd be nervous too, if I was about to meet the man who made me. Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him in years, either. I wonder if he'll recognize me."

Amy was about to knock on the door, when it opened. At the door, sitting in a motorized wheelchair, was a bald, and heavily wrinkled old man with a thick grey mustache and spectacles, whichwas hard to notice, since hishead was slightly bent down. He wore a typical lab coat, and not much else. If not for his bright, lively blue eyes, he would have looked like he belonged in his grave. He removed his spectacles, cleaned them, and returned them to his face, with a significant deal of effort.

"Is it you, my little one?" he wheezed feebly.

"Doctor Ullundara…this is Amy…do you remember her?" Yakujo asked.

The old man managed to straighten up, but not without what seemed to be a great deal of pain. "Yes, I do…and Shadow…my old mentor's son…it has happened just as (cough) I had hoped."

"What happened to you, Doctor?" Shadow asked. "Are you paralyzed?"

"Alas…yes…but only from the waist down!" the old man replied with surprising cheer. "It takes more than a bullet to the lower spine to take out this old coot!" The old man made a surprisingly strong belly-laugh, but quickly started coughing again.

"Doctor, you mustn't strain yourself…" Yakujo said with a great deal of concern.

"Oh, you…you're so motherly, Yakujo…" the old man replied. Amy snickered a little at this. She suddenly felt far more comfortable around the old man…he expected him to be far more aloof and serious, when he was a jolly old man. Ullundara turned to Amy now. "You've grown up to be (cough) a fine young lady, Amy…"

"Um…thank you, sir…" she said.

The doctor chuckled a little. "Please...I detest such snobbish formality. Anyways, I'm glad that you learned of your true nature all on your own…it makes it so much easier."

Amy smiled, and then started to gather her thoughts, forming the one question that was on her mind...trying to put to words the one thing that bothered her most at that moment… "Doctor…why was I given the abilities I have? What is my purpose in life? You, of all, people would know…"

The doctor's expression immediately sunk, and he thought about the question deeply. "Amy…you were created for the (cough) same reason Shadow was…to bring goodness to this world…there is so much corruption, and I have seen true evil…"

Shadow tried to reassure the distressed scientist, even though he seemed to vaguely know what he meant. "Black Doom is dead, Doctor…he's gone for good. If there was anything that represented true evil…Black Doom was the one."

Ullundara shook his head. "It is not him…but to tell you of the true enemy would bring my end upon me. When my time comes, all will be known…you must be patient."

Amy remembered something and decided to ask the doctor. "Have you ever heard of a demon named Ragozine? He says he knows me."

The old man gasped. "Don't tell me…then my time _has_ come…"

"Doctor, don't be so foolish!" Yakujo protested. "You're perfectly safe here."

Ullundara's tone became indignant. "Are you so ignorant of his power, Lieutenant? He can command the strongest natural life-forms of all…dragons! No weapon can pierce their hides!" He turned to Amy now. "Amy! You must, for all of our sakes, hunt down this demon and crush him! Do not let his words sway you, and you must resist anything he does to you!" The old man slumped over, gasping for breath. He had obviously over-exerted himself again.

"Doctor Ullundara!" Yakujo exclaimed as he helped the old man up. "I told you not to do that." With the wizened scientist back in his wheelchair, Yakujo turned to leave. "Doctor, I'm glad you could meet Amy."

"Indeed…I have seen my success with my own eyes…" the doctor replied before turning around to get back to his work.

"Wait…what do you know about Ragozine?" Shadow asked as he stood in the doorway. "You seem to hate him a lot…"

The doctor was silent for a minute. "Who wouldn't? He has taken innocent lives by the thousands, destroyed precious land and property, not to mention holding the entire world hostage with my mentor's maniac grandson. Gerald is surely ashamed of that Ivo…"

"I'm sure he is, Doctor, I'm sure he is," Amy said before leaving. When everyone was gone, the doctor put his face in his hands, and began to sob…


	7. Chapter 7: Dragon Ritual

**Chapter Seven**

"Here they come, Sonic…" Ragozine said as he watched the G.U.N. helicopter move toward their position. "They're coming to save you…just like I hoped they would." The two stood on the roof of the base. Sonic was tied to a cross-like mast, his hands and feet bound to the metal structure. Around them were seven needle-like spires, akin to lightning rods.

"So…what do you plan to do with me?" Sonic said angrily as he tried to free himself. "And why do you need the Chaos Emeralds…as if I didn't know!"

"Oh, you'll see very soon!" the dracomancer said eagerly.

"I, too, am curious as to the nature of this strange arrangement," Doctor Robotnik chimed in. "It's nothing like I've ever seen! How about we send in my welcoming committee?"

"No…I want them both alive," Ragozine answered. "It's all a part of the master plan."

"Master plan, huh? Care to elaborate?" Sonic asked, hoping that Ragozine would spill the beans.

"You think I'm that stupid, eh, blue one?" Ragozine replied with a chuckle. "You'll see when it happens, and no sooner." Sonic grumbled a little in his defeat.

As the helicopter moved into position, Shadow's and Amy's heads poked out of the door. Ragozine's expression of evil glee turned more disturbing than normal. The moment he had waited for in so many centuries was at hand. Shadow and Amy deftly dropped from the helicopter, and stood face-to-face with the demon and the mad scientist, the latter starting to back away. Meanwhile the helicopter had flown into the distance.

"I see that you have come, Miss Rose. Did you learn what you wanted to know?" the dracomancer began. "I'm sure you did."

"If you really want to know, it was no shock. I was born and enhanced for the purpose of taking down creeps like you, Ragozine. This is who I am." Shadow rolled his eyes at Amy's attempt at stealing his favorite line.

"Oh, silly girl…you obviously don't know the whole story, do you?" Doctor Robotnik chuckled. He pulled out a remote and pressed a large button in the center. Each of the spires emitted an arc of electricity, striking the Chaos Emeralds, and then arcing right at the astonished girl. Amy was caught by the arcs, and Shadow was blown back. Immediately a large dome of green energy surrounded the roof, blocking any access from outside it.

"Amy!" Shadow cried as he futilely tried to break the barrier with his fists. "Damn you, Ragozine! What are you doing to her?"

"I can't believe you fools actually fell for that!" Ragozine cackled. "Now my dream shall be realized! Let the ritual of transformation begin!"

The demon began to circle Amy, dripping a strange silvery blue liquid as he walked. As the dracomancer walked, Amy slowly began feeling great pain over her entire body, as if her insides were trying to force their way out. Sonic and Shadow were dreading the result of this fiendish ritual, wondering if Amy would actually change form. Even Doctor Robotnik's stomach was beginning to turn.

Soon enough, Ragozine finished his design, and reached into another pouch and began sprinkling Amy with a weird red dust, and finally blew some in her face. The pain in Amy's body began to increase, and she dropped to her knees, whimpering weakly.

"The ritual is nearly complete. All I need are the words in the Dragon tongue, and I'll have what I want. Any last words before you lose your body, Miss Rose?" Amy was in too much pain to respond, though. All she did was scowl at him.

"Very well then…it is time for the ritual to be complete!" With a wild look in his eyes, he screamed the words that completed the ritual: "Korve arbran dos avan Hemo Rosa Drak!" The Chaos Emeralds began to flash rapidly, and shot beams of light right onto the suffering hedgehog, engulfing her in a massive glowing field. Amy screamed at the top of her lungs…and the voice began to change…it became more primitive…more draconic. The barrier was dropped now, seemingly to make room.

Ragozine watched in wild earnest as he awaited the result, while Sonic and Shadow were struck in stupefied awe. When the light faded away, he cackled with fiendish joy. Amy had completely disappeared, and in her place was a huge pink dragon, almost forty feet long, with a wingspan at least twice that. Streaks of red ran across its back, and its long, crocodilian head was topped with a pair of awesome curved horns, and six pupil-less eyes, three on each side, peering out. The dragon was whining in pain, still uncomfortable from the transformation.

"YOU MONSTER! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?" Shadow screamed when he saw what had become of Amy. Tears were now coming to his eyes, and his anger seemed to know no bounds.

"_This _is what Amy's purpose is! She was born to become the new body of Alneetha, the Blood Rose Dragon, queen of all dragon-kind! And she is under my control, making me the ruler of all dragons! She is the one true ultimate life form!" The dragon had now just recovered from the pain, and immediately set her six eyes on Sonic. With a few steps she was in range to grab Sonic in her mouth.

"That's it, my queen…" Ragozine said in a coaxing manner, "Devour the one who gave you so much pain…the one who broke your heart so much! Make him suffer!"

As Amy reared back to devour Sonic, she was suddenly interrupted by a smaller dragon who rammed her in the side, causing her to topple over. Two more dragons followed suit, grabbing Sonic and Shadow with their claws, and carrying them away. Ragozine watched all this in astonishment.

"Impossible!" the dracomancer roared. "How did those dragons suddenly broken free of my control? HOW?"

Robotnik immediately stood forward. "It matters not, dracomancer…you have your prize…now hand me those Chaos Emeralds! We have an Age of Machines and Dragons to usher in!"

"I can't begin my Age of Dragons when I command only one!" Ragozine roared. "I am the greatest dracomancer who ever lived! No dragon betrays his dracomancer! It defies all logic!"

Realizing that Ragozine wasn't listening, Robotnik leisurely began to collect the Emeralds…

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Ugh…where are we?" Shadow groaned when he came to. It was completely dark, and he couldn't see anything until his infrared vision kicked in.

"Beats me," Sonic groaned as well. "At least I'm free…"

"You two are safe now,"a deep voice sounded.

"Who said that?" Shadow said, turning his head every which way to find the source of the voice. A huge gout of flame roared over their heads, igniting a large pile of logs several yards behind them. The firelight revealed the three dragons that had saved them.

"We were once Ragozine's servants," one of the dragons explained. "He used mind control to keep us in his servitude. But now we are free, and we are aware of our horrible deeds."

"But…how did you break free?" Sonic asked.

The dragon to his left answered this. "When our queen is alive, all dragons, regardless of location on the planet, are freed from any mind control exerted on them, and are immune to further such control, until she dies. At the moment your friend became Alneetha, we were free of Ragozine's mental binding."

"But…why is Alneetha still under that creep's power?" Shadow asked. "She's a dragon, too."

"Ragozine must be exerting his influence through your friend's soul, who is linked to Alneetha's. Alneetha and Amy, as you call her, are now one and the same."

"Damn that Ragozine…" Shadow growled. "I can't let Amy be used! There's got to be a way to snap her out of it!"

"It seems you have strong feelings for the girl that houses the soul of our queen," the first dragon said, "And if she shares the same affections, then perhaps you can get through to her. I know it sounds childish, but the bond between two individuals who love each other does hold surprising power."

"I'll try anything to save Amy…" Shadow said with no disguise of his desperation.

"Heh…I guess the thing between you and Amy IS for real," Sonic interjected in his usual manner.

"And there is the matter of the other female hedgehog…" the third dragon said to his companions, "I believe her name was Tahra…"

"Tahra! I completely forgot about her!" Sonic exclaimed when he recognized the name. "We have to save her too! Man, this sucks!"

"Indeed. We have three tasks, then: to relieve the mad scientist Robotnik of the Chaos Emeralds, free the one called Amy from Ragozine's control, and release Tahra from her imprisonment."

"You four think of something…" Shadow said, as he started toward the entrance of the cave. "There's a little scientist at GUN headquarters, and a hedgehog lieutenant that have a lot of explaining to do! Go ahead and do whatever."

"Good luck, Shadow…" Sonic said, waving to him.

-- -- -- -- --

The door to the Commander's office suddenly flew off its hinges, crashing to the floor. At the door was Shadow, who had a scowl on his face fearsome enough to frighten a bear out of its mind. Without giving the Commander any time to react, he leapt on top of his desk, and violently grabbed the human by the collar.

"Where's…Ullundara?" Shadow said through his teeth.

"He…he…passed…away just a few minutes ago…" the Commander stammered.

Shadow wasn't satisfied. "What about Yakujo? Where is he? Tell me, or I swear I'll rip your throat wide open! Start talking, you liar!"

"Commander!" Yakujo cried from down the hall. He appeared a second later with a distressed look on his face. When Shadow saw him, he dropped the Commander and rushed at Yakujo, grabbing him by the collar as well, and hoisting him up.

"You knew…didn't you?" Shadow said, still in his rage. "You knew that Ragozine was in on this! You knew, didn't you?"

"No! I would never!" Yakujo answered.

"LIAR!" Shadow screamed, tossing the officer across the room, right into the wall. The workers in the office immediately began to panic, and chaos ensued.

"I'm telling you…I didn't know anything!" Yakujo said over the commotion.

"Then who do I have to talk to get my info? Answer me, damn you!"

Yakujo was now terrified for his life. "G-g-go to Ullundara's office…the sound file on his computer has all you need to hear…"

"That's better. Now call security and tell them not to bother me." Shadow said calmly after composing himself. He calmly put Yakujo down and set off to the stairwell.

-- -- -- -- --

When Shadow entered Ullundara's office, he glanced around and saw the computer, with a sound clip ready to play. He clicked on the Play button, and the file began to execute. The voice of Ullundara Sr. came on.

_If you are listening to this sound clip, I have died of a broken spirit, knowing that the worst has happened. I can only hope that a friend of my dearest Amy, especially my mentor's creation, Shadow, is listening to my final words. This contains everything one would need to know about the true nature of Project Minerva._

_I am one of the survivors of the ARK incident, and Gerald's best student. My dream was to create an ultimate life form using an existing individual rather than creating one from scratch. The formula escaped me for five years, until I was approached by a mysterious individual named Ragozine. In exchange for delivering the girl to him when she came of age, he would give me the key ingredient to the formula. I accepted his offer, not knowing what he was truly up to._

_In order to keep tabs on my progress, he sent Amy's father, who was his link to GUN, to watch me. Amy's mother, his wife, offered to give her child up. The couple was poor, and I was willing to split my large stipend with him._

_When Amy was born, she was injected with my formula, mixed with the key ingredient: a vial of dragon's blood. I overheard Ragozine speaking with Amy's father about what would happen when the time came…the dragon's blood, when ignited with a specific ritual, would call forth the spirit of the Queen of Dragons and inhabit her body. _

_I knew the legend of the Dragon Queen and this ritual, so I managed to add one final component to the mixture without Ragozine's knowledge…it modified her DNA so that she would respond to these words, just like my mentor did with Shadow...speak these words to her…_

_Amy, listen to me. You are not yourself, and you must find yourself again. Ragozine is planning, if he has not already done so, to use you for evil ends. But I know you are strong. From the day I first saw you, I could tell that there was more to your life than this. Your friends all hope for your prosperity. Don't let Ragozine take your life away from you. I beg you…don't become anyone's tool…you must…live…cough…your own way…_

And the clip stopped there. Shadow stood there silently, trying to process what he had just heard. As he did, the door opened. Yakujo was standing there. Shadow turned around and noticed him.

"Shadow…do you understand now? Amy was intended to be Ragozine's servant…but she doesn't have to be."

Shadow nodded. "I do. Ullundara was surely as far-thinking as my creator was to prepare so much for this day. I won't fail him. I needed a tool to free her…and now I have it." Shadow bowed his head.

_Thank you, Doctor Ullundara_, Shadow said to himself, _thank you for giving me hope… _


	8. Chapter 8: A Whole New Amy

**Chapter Eight**

**Author's Note**: Check the Forums section! There's one for this story! Yay…and stuff! Link: http/ -- -- --

"Queen Alneetha," one of the remaining dragons whispered to Amy. Her draconic body began to rise from the iron floor, soon towering over the lesser creature that had awakened her.

"Ah, good…you are awake, and free of Ragozine's control, just as we had hoped."

"I was…under his control?" Amy exclaimed in Alneetha's voice. In fact, Alneetha's personality was in control of the body at the moment. "But, I cannot be controlled! No one dares tells Alneetha what to do!"

"You're as headstrong as ever, my Queen," the dragon replied with a chuckle. "But the girl whose body you are using is the one bound to him. And she only obeys him because she believes that it is her purpose to serve him. We must somehow convince her otherwise. Until that time, you must do your best to suppress her, and find the one named Shadow. He is the only one who can save her."

"But how can we escape this infernal place? Even I cannot sunder walls of adamant…"

"Ragozine wants you to live, remember? As long as you act as if you are under his control, his guard will be down. Now, tell me what you think of this plan…"

-- -- -- -- --

"My brethren," Ragozine began as he assembled his winged minions atop a great plateau about thirty miles outside the capital city of the United Federation. "We are at the threshold of reviving your dominance on this planet! Your Queen has returned, and as long as she wills it, you must obey her!"

"Long live Alneetha, the Blood Rose Dragon! Long live Ragozine, Lord of Dracomancers!" the other dragons chanted. Unbeknownst to Ragozine, their rebellion would soon be underway. All eighty dragons were there, carefully controlling their train of thought, to avoid giving away their plan.

"The Age of Dragons, the age ended so suddenly by the first Great Cataclysm," Ragozine continued, "will soon be revived! The age of Mankind is at an end! Their capital is at our mercy. All that remains is for us to burn the seat of power to ashes, and the world is ours!"

"I'm afraid I must protest, Ragozine," Alneetha interrupted. "I have thought about your plan, and it is gravely flawed. You forgot one important detail…"

The dracomancer raised an eyebrow. "You can think, Queen Alneetha? I think you have forgotten who is master around here!" As he raised his hand to try and maintain his control, the dragon queen sat there, smiling contently. Ragozine stopped, and he began to shudder.

"Wait…that's…not possible! I am your master!" he exclaimed fearfully.

"Now!" Alneetha cried. All eighty dragons took wing, and before the demon knew it, he was surrounded, and completely stunned by this sudden turn of events.

"I don't understand…how did you break my control? I am the greatest dracomancer who ever lived! I am Ragozine, Lord of All Dragons! How DARE you defy me!"

"You are not a true dracomancer, Ragozine," Alneetha retorted. "A real dracomancer does not use mind control to keep his dragons under control…he befriends them, and uses them as allies, not as tools! But I don't think I need to preach anymore…dragons, take aim…fire!" All at once, the eighty dragons unleashed their breath weapons, torching the demon entirely…

But it wasn't enough. Ragozine survived the fiery assault. Though he was burned, his pride had taken a more severe blow. He was down on one knee, grumbling with unbelievable rage.

"You…fools…I…will…kill…you…AAAALLL!" With those words, Ragozine lost control of his hedgehog façade, and began to change in much the same way Amy did. When he was done, the demon's true colors came to light…Ragozine had become a massive, night-black dragon, with six eyes, and huge wings. His eyes were blood-red, and his teeth were a sickly blue. He towered over even his Blood Rose Dragon, leaving them all stunned.

"ALL…SHALL…BURN…" Ragozine growled loudly. If he couldn't rule dragonkind…no one could…

-- -- -- -- --

"So…you found a way," Sonic said to Shadow as they rode atop the dragons, trying to locate the dragon queen and Ragozine. "That's great." Shadow held a Walkman, with the CD containing the sound file that the Professor made.

"Yeah…I just hope she will listen…" Shadow said dejectedly.

"She will listen…we did forget to mention something," the dragon Sonic was riding interjected. "The Queen herself is immune to mind control. I don't know how that slipped my mind…"

"That certainly makes things a whole lot easier," Shadow said with a sigh of relief.

"Not necessarily. I am certain that the girl Amy is extremely distressed by all this, and has attempted to sequester herself from any outside contact. She cannot live with the fact that it was her purpose in life…"

"Thanks for the encouragement…" Shadow mumbled. He glanced at the player, then toward the horizon, and back again. As his thoughts began to wander, his ears began to pick up roaring and explosion sounds to the west.

"Amy…she's to the west…" Shadow gasped, before standing up and turning to Sonic. "This is where I get off, Sonic. Good luck with Robotnik…"

Sonic smiled and nodded. Shadow did a standing high jump, and went into a dive. As he neared the ground, he curled into a ball and landed on a slope. Most would have died instantly from such a fall, but Shadow simply kept on rolling, and soon was on his way. Never in his memory did Shadow run so fast for something he wanted. The same feelings he had on the day Amy had accepted his affection were welling up again. Even if she had turned into a monster, she was still the love of his life…

As Shadow dashed across the desert, two massive shadows suddenly appeared under him. He skidded to a stop and watched. It seemed two dragons, specifically Amy and Ragozine, were high in the sky, dueling to the death.

Ragozine delivered a fearsome tail slap, sending Amy hurtling straight toward him. Shadow was quick to dodge the flying mass, which impacted the ground with great force, cracking the highway asphalt and leaving a shallow dent. Ragozine followed up by diving at her, opening his jaws to bite her.

_Damn, what I wouldn't do for a rocket launcher right now_, Shadow said to himself. As Ragozine got close, Amy grabbed his jaws and tried to hold them open. While she did, her tail whipped around and smacked the side of his head. After that she unleashed a burst of flame right in his face, sending him reeling, and leaving him stunned.

"Amy!" Shadow cried out. The pink dragon turned around.

"Shadow!" she said in her dragon voice. "I was hoping you would come!"

"I'm here to help you…"

"Leave this fiend to me…Amy would only get in the way!" the dragon responded. As she did, Ragozine rushed headlong into her, sending her rolling away.

Shadow, despite knowledge that he shouldn't interfere, leapt onto Ragozine and grabbed onto his horns. Immediately, he stopped and reared back, trying to shake off the ebon hedgehog, but Shadow's grip was strong, and he wouldn't let go.

As Ragozine struggled with Shadow, the two souls within the pink dragon begin to quarrel…one was under the fiend's control but deeply concerned for Shadow, the other was intent on Ragozine's destruction, regardless of the cost. The struggle between the two minds caused the body to begin to tilt and sway not unlike a drunkard. Then her spinning glance managed to catch sight of the small CD player Shadow had brought, which was thrown clear, but landed undamaged in a roadside thicket. Amy's consciousness managed to assume control. Ragozine felt this and telepathically commanded her to do something else. She strode toward the CD player, not knowing what was on it. As delicately as she could, Amy guided the claw to press the Play button, beginning the message...

"If you are listening to this sound clip, I have died of a broken spirit, knowing that the worst has happened. I can only hope that a friend of my dearest Amy, especially my mentor's creation, Shadow, is listening to my final words. This contains everything one would need to know about the true nature of Project Minerva."

_True…purpose?_ Amy wondered. She continued listening.

"I am one of the survivors of the ARK incident, and Gerald's best student. My dream was to create an ultimate life form using an existing individual rather than creating one from scratch. The formula escaped me for five years, until I was approached by a mysterious individual named Ragozine. In exchange for delivering the girl to him when she came of age, he would give me the key ingredient to the formula.

_The professor sold me…he sold me…just like Gerald did to Shadow…_ she thought. She was starting to hate the man for that.

"I accepted his offer, not knowing what he was truly up to. In order to keep tabs on my progress, he sent Amy's father, who was his link to GUN, to watch me. Amy's mother, his wife, offered to give her child up. The couple was poor, and I was willing to split my large stipend with him.

_My parents? Wait…I was comfortable in life…_

"When Amy was born, she was injected with my formula, mixed with the key ingredient: a vial of dragon's blood. I overheard Ragozine speaking with Amy's father about what would happen when the time came…the dragon's blood, when ignited with a specific ritual, would call forth the spirit of the Queen of Dragons and inhabit her body."

_I never intended that, little one, _spoke Alneetha's voice. _Please, listen to this man's words…_

"I knew the legend of the Dragon Queen and this ritual, so I managed to add one final component to the mixture without Ragozine's knowledge…it modified her DNA so that she would respond to these words, just like my mentor did with Shadow...speak these words to her":

_Professor…_

"Amy, listen to me. You are not yourself, and you must find yourself again."

_Find…myself?_

_Yes…find yourself, Amy…_

"Ragozine is planning, if he has not already done so, to use you for evil ends."

_But I failed to stop him…he succeeded…_

_He didn't, Amy…you and I…we fought back. We share this body._

"But I know you are strong. From the day I first saw you, I could tell that there was more to your life than this. Your friends all hope for your prosperity."

_How could I forget them…and Shadow…he's fighting for me… _

"Don't let Ragozine take your life away from you. I beg you…don't become anyone's tool…you must…live (cough)…your own way…" The recording stopped.

_I understand now. Thank you, Professor. Alneetha…thank you as well_.

_My soul cannot fully disconnect with yours, _Alneetha said,_ but do not think it a curse…let me help you save him_.

_We'll save Shadow…together._

Moments before the recording finished, Ragozine threw Shadow off of his head, sending him careening a good distance before landing face flat on the ground. As Ragozine landed over Shadow, a glint of light flashed in the corner of his eyes. As he turned around, he saw that the Blood Rose Dragon was gone. In its place was something completely different…a figure clad in silvery armor decorated with a scaly design on the breastplate, leg guards and helmet, the latter shaped like a dragon's head. A pair of usable draconic wings jutted from her back. The gauntlets were sharpened to be like dragon claws.

"WHAT IS THIS?" Ragozine roared in confusion. The armored figure lifted the visor on the helmet to reveal (who else?) Amy. Her eyes were glistening with wrathful justice, and her entire body pulsing with immense power. Even so, the demon dragon was not intimidated.

Amy confidently began to walk in his direction, her gaze locked continually on his. Soon she was right up in front of him. With only a toothy grin, Ragozine raised one of his claws to strike the seemingly super-powered Amy. As he swung, she sidestepped the attack, grabbed Shadow by the arm and placed him nearby. He watched all this in amazement.

"Amy? Is that you?" he exclaimed.

"I'll explain later…" she assured him. The demon dragon had adjusted its position and was ready to take on its new opponent…


	9. Chapter 9: Over For Now

**Chapter Nine**

_This is way too easy_, Sonic thought as he dusted off his hands after dispatching yet another group of guard robots. It was just like old times…storming in and destroying every robot in sight. Even after their long conflict, Doctor Robotnik continued to use the same flawed designs on his minions. But instead of just stopping one of the mad scientist's plans, he had another goal…to rescue a friend from his clutches.

As he strode into the next room, the door, as did so many others, lock and bar behind him, blocking any exit. He had been startled by this the first few times, but now it was no surprise to him. He eagerly awaited his next challenge, confident in his ability to overcome it. But instead of a large group of robots, in strode an old foe.

"Well, look who came back from the scrap heap!" he exclaimed in a jocular manner when he met his adversary. It was none other than Metal Sonic, whom he had defeated several times. The robot was tapping its foot, impatient about something.

"I have been waiting for you, Sonic the Hedgehog…" Metal Sonic said in his usual way. "This time, I shall defeat you…and once I'm done with you, I'll leave this putrid place. I have bigger plans now." The robot raised his claws in a guard stance.

"You always have to do it the hard way, don't you…" the real Sonic replied in a cocky tone. "Well, I'll make this quick…" Sonic immediately dashed at the robot, attempting to trick him into guarding against it. But Metal Sonic did nothing of the sort. As Sonic drew near, he warped away, and to a higher position. Sonic skidded to a stop.

"You bore me, fool. Did you really expect to react to that?" the robot said, still toneless. "Anyway, I've learned some new tricks. Care to see them?"

"Gimme your best shot buddy…" Sonic replied eagerly. Metal Sonic raised one of his claws, and stared intensely at the blue blur. A small mass of yellow energy formed on his claw.

"Chaos Spear!" the robot chanted, and flung the energy, which turned into an arrow-like force. Sonic managed to dodge it, but just barely. Moments later, another mass of energy formed, and Metal Sonic flung it. This pattern continued for several minutes, until Metal Sonic started laughing, which made Sonic wonder.

"Oh, this is simply too much fun! I've never enjoyed myself so, making you dance!" the robot said, with a minor change in his voice that disturbed Sonic greatly.

_How did he learn Shadow's moves? _Sonic wondered. As this thought passed his mind, he lost track of his mechanical doppelganger, and received a fierce blow to his back, sending him rolling away, and knocking the wind out of him.

"Had enough, weakling?" Metal Sonic taunted.

"How did you…" Sonic wheezed.

"…get these new powers? I've always had them," Metal Sonic chortled.

"No…you couldn't have had them…" Sonic replied angrily. "Just who are you!"

"Very well…" Metal Sonic chuckled. Suddenly, he deactivated, and dropped to the floor. Something came out of the robot's body: a sky-blue hedgehog with shocked-up hair, clawed hands and short plates jutting from the top of his shoulders. It had completely black irises, and a wry look that looked a lot like Sonic's.

"So…what do you think of me?" the hedgehog said in an obviously diabolical voice.

"I don't know who you are…but you're no hedgehog!" Sonic replied angrily.

"If you must know who I am…I am Nazo, and I am the darkness within the Chaos Emeralds. That is all I will tell you. But for now…good night!"

Nazo dashed forward at a speed even Sonic could not equal, and delivered an uppercut that sent the hapless hedgehog soaring. With a quick warp, Nazo delivered a ferocious side kick, knockingSonic out coldand causing him to crash into the wall.

-- -- -- -- --

"Is that all you've got?" Amy taunted as she avoided yet another of Ragozine's swooping claw attacks. The demon dragon, having tried to hurt her for about seven minutes now, was beside himself in anger. This girl, whom he had toyed with for so long, was now making him into a buffoon.

"STAND STILL SO I CAN KILL YOU!" Ragozine roared as he lunged at Amy again. Again, she quickly sidestepped his attack. She was starting to get bored with playing cat-and-mouse and finally decided to go a serious offensive. With a leap that was, for reasons she did not dare question, unencumbered by her new armor, she reached Ragozine's face, and with a ferocious flip kick, sent his head reeling back. Spreading her new wings, she followed up with a mighty aerial flurry of punches and kicks, turning the demon dragon's head into her personal punching bag.

Not about to be used in this manner, Ragozine managed to smack Amy out of the way, and recovered his footing. Lunging again at his foe, he managed to bite at her. For a moment, it seemed the dragon was about to swallow her whole, but Amy managed to force his jaws open, leap out and do another flip kick.

Ragozine staggered back to recover from this assault. He was getting tired, and knew that if he didn't beat a hasty retreat, he would suffer a humiliating loss. As Amy rushed in again, he unleashed a blast of fire as a last desperate attack. With the last of his rage gone, the demon dragon changed back to his hedgehog form.

"You were more powerful than I expected, Amy Rose. I do not know how you managed to absorb the power of the Dragon Queen, but I see that I am outmatched…for now. We shall meet again, and when that time comes, I'll crush you into dust!"

"Oh no, you don't!" she answered, and dove at Ragozine, who teleported away before she could get her hands on him. Shadow, finally seeing that Amy was victorious, went over to her, with the same look of amazement. As he got close enough, he realized that she was almost six inches taller than normal.

"Amy…that was incredible!" Shadow exclaimed, a little short of breath. "You actually managed to beat him! I am so damn proud of you!"

"I have you to thank, Shadow…" Amy replied as she removed her helmet, revealing that her short hair had lengthened considerably, reaching down to her shoulders. In her usual cute manner, she gave Shadow a kiss on the cheek. The ebon hedgehog immediately blushed with surprise. He tried to respond, but couldn't find the words.

Amy simply smiled. "There's no need to explain, Shadow. Let's get out of here." She reverted to her normal self with a single sigh. She started down the highway in a leisurely manner, not seeming to mind the sun at all. Shadow quickly followed, and they walked side by side.

-- -- -- -- -- --

After walking for several hours, the sound of a small plane rang across the desert, and the two looked up. Overhead flew Tails, with Knuckles in the back. Amy stopped and began waving, hoping to attract their attention. After a few seconds, the plane banked around and came in for a landing.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Looks like Tails wasn't kidding!" the echidna said as he hopped out of the plane. "It's hard to believe that Amy Rose, Sonic's number one groupie, and Shadow, the anti-Sonic, are together!"

"What are you two doing all the way out here?" Shadow asked. "Were you looking for us?"

"Yeah, we need to get you to Angel Island, pronto!" Knuckles replied. "Hop aboard."

"Um…we can't fit…" Amy said hesitantly. "There's no room, and I don't want to risk riding on the wings." Amy didn't want to reveal her new powers to her friends just yet.

"I've got that covered…" Tails chimed in. He pressed a button on his control panel, and two bowl-shaped seats extended out of the plane's fuselage, one on each side. The two looked at each other, shrugged and hopped in. Soon enough, Tails' plane was back in the air, heading for Angel Island.

-- -- -- -- --

"Sonic?" Tahra whispered. Sonic's eyes strained slightly to open, but he soon found himself in a bed. Tahra was sitting on a small stone stool near the makeshift bed that he lay on.

"Where…am I?" Sonic muttered, holding his head as he tried to get up.

"Some place called Angel Island," Tahra answered him. "A few friends of yours found me, took back those Chaos Emeralds and got all of us out of here. You should thank them."

"Where is he? Where's Nazo?" Sonic exclaimed as he stood up quickly. He was half-expecting someone to tell him to get back in bed, but it seemed he had recovered well.

"Nazo?" Tahra asked with interest. "Who's that?"

"He said he was...the darkness in the Chaos Emeralds or something…" Sonic replied.

"I dunno, but your friend Knuckles might know. I wonder when…"

Before Tahra could finish, they heard several people coming down the hall. The first to pop their head in was Knuckles, who smiled with relief.

"Ah, you recover fast, Sonic," the echidna said. "How do you feel?"

"Humiliated, and confused," Sonic replied. "I can't believe I got beaten so easily!"

"It happens…" Knuckles said with a slight mocking tone in his voice. "But come on, Shadow and Amy are back, and we have things to discuss. Bring along your girlfriend, too." Sonic and Tahra were taken aback by so blunt a phrase, but yet, they both found a nice ring to it. Sonic went out first, with Tahra behind.

They followed Knuckles into the main chamber. On seven pedestals were the Chaos Emeralds; while in the center was the Master Emerald. Standing nearby this display were Shadow, Amy, Tails and the three Chaotix. Rouge and Omega weren't available, it seemed.

"So…what's with the hubbub, bubs?" Charmy asked once everyone was together. Vector rolled his eyes at this statement.

"Yes…enlighten us, Knuckles," Espio added. "Why did you call us here?"

Knuckles stepped into the center of the group, cleared his throat, and began. "I have sensed great trouble in the world, and a few of us have made disturbing connections between seemingly unrelated events.

"Like what?" Vector asked.

"Well, the attacks by the Black Arms and the dragons were initiated far too close together in time to be mere coincidence. In fact, after studying the island's collection of ancient texts, we may be up against something we've never faced before."

"How big are we talking?" Sonic asked. "We've faced some pretty nasty foes before."

Knuckles shook his head. "Doctor Robotnik is nothing compared to the threat that may be before us now. We're talking something that even the power of the Chaos Emeralds can't beat."

"What is it?" Amy asked. "We saw some strange tablet in the Westopolis Museum about some legend about three hedgehogs fighting three demons…two of them looked a lot like Black Doom and Ragozine. Maybe the legend is true."

"It's a definite possibility, Amy. But the worst part is that we have no idea what their motive is, if they're really working in concert, and who's controlling them. Without that information, we have no idea how to strike back."

"Do you know of some guy named Nazo?" Sonic asked. "I met him in the base."

Knuckles closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead as he dug through his memory. "Yes…I do recall learning of him…he's an evil spirit of great power with a strong connection to the Chaos Emeralds. When they are used for evil ends…his power grows. Sadly, the reverse does not hold true."

"So…what should we do?" Tails asked finally.

"I'm really not sure about that, right now. All we can do is watch, and wait. I'll do my best to come up with something."

"I doubt you could do it alone," Espio said. "…Perhaps we could help him, Vector?"

"Things have been a little slow at the agency, lately," Vector said. "I suppose we can lend a hand."

Knuckles nodded. "Great…you guys can head on home. I'll start my research. You three get any info you can on the ground."

"I guess we're off then," Sonic said. He started out toward the entrance of the temple. Everyone followed suit…but as Amy was walking, she heard Tails mutter "Ignorant fools…"

"Did you say something, Tails?" Amy asked.

"Me? No! Nothing at all!" he said nervously. "You must be hearing things."

"I guess so…" she replied.


	10. Chapter 10: Normal As It Gets

**Chapter Ten**

**Author's Note: **Oh yeah, I'm on a roll! Just add an order of fries and call me a burger! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Bad puns aside, I've decided to make this chapter a little calmer, but things will still be interesting!

-- -- -- -- --

"Are you sure this is the right building?" Rouge asked as the two stared up at the apartment building. After many days of research, Amy finally found the home address of her mother. Rouge had offered to come along, since Shadow and Tahra were attending a rock concert. She was both excited and nervous, and she wondered whether her mother would even recognize her.

"I'm positive," Amy replied with a great deal of confidence. The two walked into the building and went up to the receptionist's desk.

"Excuse me, could you direct us to room 906?" Amy asked the receptionist, who was reading a magazine.

"9th floor on that elevator, third door on your right," the receptionist answered without even looking at them. She merely pointed to the elevator. Amy thanked the receptionist, and the two got onto the elevator. It seemed particularly dirty, but the two tried not to mind. Once they got off, the door was merely a few steps away.

"Nervous?" Rouge asked as she stood there. Amy simply nodded. Rouge decided to knock for her. The door was answered in a few moments by a small hedgehog boy, roughly seven or eight years old.

"Whatcha want?" the child asked.

"I wonder who this little fella is," Rouge said to Amy.

"Is your mommy home?" Amy asked in as kind and friendly voice as possible.

"Mommy! Two girls at the door for you!" the boy yelled. His mother, who wore a simple blue dress and a red apron came by. She took one look at Amy, and dropped the pile of dishes she was carrying, and stared at Amy in horror.

"You…you're alive!" the mother gasped in shock.

"Mom…don't you recognize your own daughter?" Amy said, trying to be as calm and kind as she could. "I found your address and…"

"Don't come near me, you freak!" the woman shrieked. She rushed into the kitchen and came back with a large frying pan, which she held unsteadily. The child who had answered the door was creeping away.

"Mom, I won't do anything to you!" Amy pleaded, trying to reason with her obviously insane mother. She just stood there, trembling and holding the frying pan like a baseball bat.

"You…how did you…find this place! Go away!" the woman stammered. Amy carefully approached her deranged mother, who raised the pan higher.

"Don't touch me! I won't let you hurt my family, demon spawn!" the woman said, recoiling from her daughter. "Don't make me call the police!"

"She obviously wants nothing to do with you, Amy," Rouge noted. "Let's leave before she actually does call the cops. Just look at her!"

Before Amy could do anything, she noticed the child sticking a syringe into his mother's leg and injecting something into her. After a few seconds, the woman dropped the pan, and fell to her knees. The child's head was drooped and shaking, as if saddened.

"I'm sorry about that, big sis," the boy said. "Mommy's been sick in the head a lot. When she's awake, she won't freak out."

"Is there anyone else living with you?" Amy asked her little brother.

"My daddy…we don't have the same daddy, I think."

"Well…my name's Amy. I'm your half-sister. What's yours?"

"I'm Kiran. Who's your friend?"

"Rouge…don't mind me," the bat answered.

After about twenty minutes, Amy's mother was coming around. Immediately Amy got up and stood over her mother.

"Mom…" Amy half-whispered.

Her mother was groggy, but able to speak. "You're…still here? I told you to go away…have you harmed my Kiran?"

Kiran was right next to her. "I'm fine, Mommy. Amy's nice."

"What do you want from me, demon spawn…" the mother growled, in a way that could be attributed to someone with a severe hangover.

"Mom…if you're going to be like this…I want to know why."

"Fine…I was forced to be pregnant with you…and then they turned you into a monster. That is why I hate you. When my husband gets home…he'll blow a hole through your head, and I'll never have to see you again! Tell that maniac Ragozine to never trouble me again!"

"Mom…Ragozine won't bother you anymore. He's gone."

"You liar…he torments me every day…and now he sends you to help him!" the woman spat.

"Mom…I saw him…I made him pay…with my own two hands."

"Stop your lies and leave me be…"

Amy had finally gotten the message. For reasons she could not truly know, her own mother did not want her. There was no way for Amy to prove that she wasn't the monster her mother thought she was. She held back the tears coming to her eyes, and started out the door. She did not see Kiran waving goodbye.

-- -- -- -- --

Amy was still stunned as she and Rouge sat down for coffee at a place a few blocks down from the building they were at. "I can't believe that my own mother _rejected _me! I wasn't expecting a sugar-coated happy meeting, but nothing like that."

"Considering your true nature," Rouge commented, "I suspect anyone would be a little uneasy around you. I've known you for quite some time, so it doesn't matter much to me. Heck, I've known you longer than your mother's known you."

"I guess you're right. But I just wish there was something I could do…"

Their conversation was interrupted by two men who seemed to be making a bad attempt to look cool. It was obvious that they were trying to flirt with them, which was creepy, considering that they were completely different species.

"Well, what are you two lovely ladies like you doing in a place like this?" one of the man said in a swaggering and flirtatious manner.

"Get lost, loser," Rouge said, waving her hand as to shoo them away. Of course, they were not going to be driven away so easily. Their flirting continued, and it got more and more annoying by the minute. Surprisingly, no one in the shop seemed to notice this. Though Rouge was able to keep her head, Amy couldn't stand the sight of the morons. She rose from her seat, and with a single swift kick to the crotch of the hapless Romeo, sent him straight to the floor. She grabbed her coffee violently and started out the door into the cold. As she left, two words, barely audible, crossed her lips:

"Disgusting humans…"

-- -- -- -- --

"I don't understand those humans, Shadow…" Amy said dejectedly as the two stood up on the small balcony of her apartment, watching the world go by below them. It was around seven o' clock, and they were waiting for a dinner Amy had made to cook. "How can they be such jerks?"

"We're like that too, sometimes," Shadow replied. "I don't understand what you're saying…"

"It's just that…how can humans be so hypocritical? They talk of peace on earth and good will toward men at this time of year…and yet they still continue hating. Why can humans persecute their own kind based simply on insignificant thing like skin color or religion? It disgusts me, and makes me hate them."

"Keep in mind that humans were a major part of our lives, Amy. But not everyone can be like Professor Gerald or Ullundara. Not everyone can be so good."

Amy sighed. "You're right…I'm thinking in Black Doom's logic. It's creepy. But still, sometimes I wish all the bad people would just disappear forever." The oven timer started beeping, indicating that the food was ready.

The two went inside, and Amy immediately removed the dish from the oven, with oven mitts. She didn't want to risk showing off with mind-over-matter stuff. It was vegetable lasagna, one of Amy's specialties. She took a deep whiff of it, and smiled. She always liked the smell of her own cooking, and silently thanked herself for taking cooking classes in addition to the art classes. She laid the pan on the counter, and cut a piece for herself, and then a bigger one for Shadow. After the two had hooked up, he had begun doing things he said that he didn't need to do, like eating and sleeping.

"Here you go…eat up," she said as she handed him the food. He stared at it blankly for a moment, as if he was having another flashback. When he realized what he was doing, he nervously began to eat.

"Sorry," he said after swallowing a bite, "vegetable lasagna was one of Maria's favorites."

"You still think about her?" Amy replied to this little tidbit of info. "I thought you were over her after the whole thing with the Black Arms."

"The day GUN attacked was the only thing that bothered me. The rest of my memories of her are happy. Maria…she was such a wonderful person. You almost remind me of her...maybe that's why I like you so much."

"I'm flattered," Amy replied with her usual smile.

Shadow looked down at his lap for a second then looked at Amy again. "Amy…do you think Maria's really happy for me…sometimes I feel like I don't deserve such a wonderful girlfriend like you."

"Of course she's happy for you! That's what she would want. I'm sure of it."

"You're a peach, Amy."

-- -- -- -- -- --

"A WHAT?" Sonic exclaimed when Tahra asked him to go out with her. "You can't be serious!" This question seemed to come out of nowhere as they were walking down the street together.

"Is it so wrong? I like you, Sonic." Tahra replied with a smug look on her face. "I'm thinking we could go to the big New Year's bash at Eagle Square. Shadow and Amy are going."

"Aren't you Goths supposed to stay home in your rooms, and avoid socialization of any kind?" Sonic said uneasily. "I mean, that's what I've heard…"

"I'm considered a _perky _Goth. We're more sociable than full Goths. So, you wanna go? Even Knuckles and Rouge are going…"

Sonic threw his arms up in frustration. "Okay, fine! It's a date then! Now would you please leave me alone?" He started off down the street by himself as he tried to get away from the girl. It was just like Amy…Tahra seemed to follow him wherever he went, yet at the same time he was horribly attracted to her. Sonic was never good at saying his true feelings to a girl he liked.  
When he looked back to see if Tahra was chasing him, it seemed that she had disappeared into an alley he had passed.

When he poked his head in, he found three humans wearing black leather jackets and ripped blue jeans, obviously gang members of some kind, surrounded a defiant Tahra. Two of them were of average build, but there was one who looked particularly strong. They were all unaware of Sonic's presence.

"Look, dirty hedgehog…hand over ya money or you'll get what's comin to ya!"

"I don't have any on me!" Tahra replied in a defiant tone."And what do have against my kind?"

"You hedgehogs are getting so much attention these days, because of that stupid Sonic guy! If he was here, I'd pound that dirty good-for-nothing to a pulp!"

Sonic decided to jump in at this point. "Careful what you wish for, bucko…you just might get it!"

"Well look who decided to come to my rescue after all!" Tahra exclaimed. "I was wondering what was taking you so long."

The leader of the three, who had made the earlier statement, turned and saw Sonic.

"Well, well, well…the so-called hero decides to save his little girlfriend…"

Sonic took some offense from this statement, still trying to hide his true feelings. "She's not my girlfriend…she's just a friend, and a fellow hedgehog. Let her go."

"You and what army?" the human chuckled. "You're outnumbered, small fry."

"I'm a one hedgehog army, buddy…and I like these kinds of odds anyway." He leapt into the air and delivered his trademark homing attack to the leader, sending him reeling past Tahra and onto the ground, unconscious. The other gang members took one look at their downed leader, and bolted the scene.

"Thanks for saving me, Sonic," Tahra said when the others were gone. "But I could have handled them myself."

"Don't be stupid. They were big guys. Are you hurt?"

"From the way you sound, you really sound concerned about me…are you sure that we're just friends? I may be a Goth…but I know a lover boy when I see one."

"I'm sure, now come on…let's get you home."


	11. Chapter 11: Heaven's Wrath

**Chapter Eleven**

"That really stinks that you can't go to the big New Year's bash, Tails," Sonic said in disappointment. "It's supposed to be the biggest ever!"

"I'm sure it will," Tails replied off-handedly. "I have to work on a few things for my own big bash. It will all come to light soon enough. You'll be amazed!"

"I can't wait to see it, Tails! Mind if I come over and take a peek?"

"No! Absolutely not! Goodbye!" Tails said quickly before he hung up, leaving Sonic standing in the pay phone. He hung up the receiver and left the booth, with Tahra standing nearby. No words were exchanged, but their motions were all that were needed to understand the exchange.

"It's a real shame. He's such a nice kid," Tahra sighed. "But I've never seen a fox with two tails before! Do you think he's the only one like that?"

"I did hear stories of magical fox spirits called kitsune. Maybe he's a kitsune…"

"It's a definite possibility, with all the weird stuff that's been happening lately, but I doubt it. I would have known long ago." Sonic and Tahra began walking back down the street again. Wary as they were, the events that would unfold this New Year's Eve would catch them completely off guard…

-- -- -- -- -- --

The sound of trumpets sounded through the great hall that housed the Master Emerald and the Chaos Emeralds, awakening Knuckles, who had fallen asleep after doing research for three nights straight. As he came to, the doors to the room flew open. Knuckles quickly got out of his seat and got on one knee. Two winged humanoids, which Knuckles recognized as angels, flew in slowly, followed by an angel of stunning appearance. He had golden hair, startlingly bright blue eyes, and was garbed entirely in white, with the exception of a choker around his neck, with a red crystal embedded in the center. It was obvious that this angel was among the top of the heavenly hierarchy.

"Greetings, Guardian," the angel said in an echoing voice.

"Y-y-you're…Armeil! W-what brings you h-here?" the echidna stammered out of intense fear and awe. His entire body was shaking, and he had trouble maintaining his balance.

"I hath come to claim the Master Emerald, and the Chaos Emeralds," Armeil answered. "You and thy ancestors have done well in keeping it for me until I returned. But now I have come to take it back with me to the heavens. I'll be taking the Chaos Emeralds as well."

Knuckles, though he tried to be respectful, was stunned by this request. "Lord Armeil…I will not deny you the Master Emerald, but why do you want the Chaos Emeralds?"

"It is not for thou to knowest, Guardian," the angel replied in his haughty manner. "But that is not the only reason why I am here. It is time."

"What!" Knuckles exclaimed. "Don't tell me that it's here already!"

"It is this planet's time. I have seen sin and corruption boil till it hath overrun the stew," Armeil fumed. "It is time for the order of heaven to bring the denizens of the world into line."

"I beg your forgiveness, my lord…but I cannot allow that!" Knuckles answered, finally regaining his confidence, and assuming a fighting stance. Armeil chuckled, and merely swatted at Knuckles, sending him flying. As Knuckles picked himself up, Armeil began scolding him.

"You, my most trusted mortal minion, would DARE side with the sinners? I thought better of you…but you will receive your judgment in time, as will everyone on this world. The Age of Sin that started after the Second Great Cataclysm shall come to an end tonight at the stroke of midnight!"

_Sonic…I have to warn him… _Knuckles thought. As Armeil turned to leave, he locked the door behind him, leaving the two angels standing there on guard.

"You will provide no assistance to the sinners," one of the angels said in an almost mechanical manner when they blocked Knuckles' way. "Resistance is futile, Guardian. Armeil's Age of Perfect Virtue will begin tonight"

"…Age of Perfect Virtue? What do you mean?" Knuckles asked.

"It will be an age where no sins are committed…because there will be no mortal life to commit it. Those who are deemed worthy of his mercy will become angels, giving up their sinful souls to the void and live forever in eternal, sinless bliss."

"You monsters…" Knuckles growled.

"We do not question Armeil's will. His word is the One True Law." Knuckles, still not willing to give up, sat down on the floor and tried to formulate a plan…

-- -- -- -- --

"Only three minutes until midnight, Shadow!" Amy squealed as she, Shadow and about fifteen thousand other people stood there, waiting for the famous Central City "New Year Sphere" to drop, ringing in the New Year.

"Yeah…another year in our lives is coming." Shadow mused. "It's going to happen, no matter what anyone does. But why am I philosophizing at a time like this?"

"Yeah…you think too much sometimes, Shadow…I wonder where Sonic and Tahra are?"

"Hi guys," Sonic said, as if on cue. "Exciting, huh? Just wish I could see over all these people. I hate being less than four feet tall."

"We're here, and that's what matters." Tahra chimed in. "About two minutes to go now."

As Sonic looked around, his gaze caught the silhouette of someone hopping across the building tops. He dismissed it as an illusion, and continued to watch. The crowd began chanting the final countdown about ninety seconds later.

"Here we go guys!" Amy said. The four began chanting with the crowd, each second heightening the anticipation exponentially. But as the year's ten final seconds came along, Shadow suddenly got a very disturbing feeling in his gut.

"Oh crud no…" he gasped. As the crowd yelled "One", the sky, which had been cloudy, seemed to burst wide open with light, and a huge beam blasted the New Year Sphere, shattering it to pieces. The crowd burst into panic, and began fleeing in all directions. Sonic and the others watched as a veritable storm of angels came rushing out of the clouds, all fully armed with all sorts of swords, spears and other weaponry.

"What the hell is going on?" Sonic exclaimed when he saw this awe-inspiring sight. "Is it the end of the world or something?" Suddenly, he was yanked from his place by Tahra, who was following Shadow and Amy into a side street. The four watched in horror as a group of people were cut down by the heavenly entities.

"I thought angels were supposed to be good creatures," Amy said. "This isn't right!"

Tahra shook her head. "Guys, there's something I need to tell you about all this, and something I've been hiding."

"Since it's the end of the world," Sonic sighed, "we might as well tell our deepest darkest secrets."

Tahra was annoyed by Sonic's blithe comment. "This is no time for kidding around, Sonic! I'm serious now, so listen. Those angels are serving an evil higher power…a power that my family has opposed for over six thousand years."

"Explain?" Shadow asked.

"I am a descendant of the hedgehog priesthood who guarded and used the Chaos Emeralds. Those angels covet the Emeralds. It seems they have them, so…"

"We can begin the Age of Perfect Virtue. Very perceptive, Chaos Priestess," a voice came from above them. They all looked up to see Tails standing there, with a smug look on his face.

"Tails…what are you doing here?" Amy exclaimed when she saw him.

"I came here to see how my big show was going," the fox replied.

"…YOURbig show? What are you blabbering about?" Sonic asked.

"I knew you said something unusual that day, Tails!" Amy said angrily when she realized Tails' true nature. "Show us who you really are! I know that's not your real form now!"

"If you insist…" Tails said, shrugging his shoulders. In a burst of light, Tails' form changed. When he could be seen again, his fur had turned a dull gold color, and a pair of feathery white wings were now extending out of his back.

"Yes, my old friends…I am an angel. But no just ANY angel…but one of theGreat Seraphim! I may appear as a child, but my age is far greater than any mortal living right now! But I have spent enough time with you nitwits. The Age of Perfect Virtue is at hand! Begone, fools!" Tails formed two energy orbs in his hands, and trapped each of them, two to an orb.

"Tails…you were my friend!" Sonic cried. "Why are you doing this?"

"Me…your friend? I suppose we shared a bond, but I have no use for it now," Tails chuckled. "Ta-tah, my 'friends'…maybe I'll be your judge…" He raised the orbs telekinetically, and heaved them high into the sky. When they were gone, he sat back and watched the panicking crowd go by.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Damn that Tails…damn him!" Sonic cried angrily as he paced in the fields on the outskirts of the city. "I can't believe he betrayed us like that! I'll never forgive him!" He punched a nearby rock sticking out of the ground, cracking.

"I can't believe he was that powerful…" Shadow said, still trying to process what had just happened. "How could I not have sensed it?"

"He had us all fooled," Amy replied. "But I'm sure there's something we can do."

"Not really…" Tahra said as she shook her head. "The angels have the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald. Without them, we're almost powerless. One thing also bothers me…why did Tails spare us…he had us in his power, but he just sent us away from the city."

"I could care less!" Sonic cried. "He's our enemy, and I won't rest until I tear off his wings and stuff them down his throat! I'll make him wish he was never born!"

"Sonic…I've never heard you be so violent…" Amy said with a bit of concern. "Do you really hate Tails that much now?"

"YOU THINK!" Sonic screamed.

"Sonic…get a grip! Ranting and raving won't solve anything," Shadow said, trying to calm Sonic down. The blue hedgehog did manage to compose himself.

"You're right, Shadow…but like Tahra said, we're powerless without the Emeralds."

"Let's concentrate on surviving first," Tahra said thoughtfully. "We need to find a way to escape those angels." When she looked up, Shadow was starting to look angry as well, as he was gazing out at something.

"No…of all the things that could make this day even worse…" Shadow growled with clenched teeth. As the others peered out into the distance, they were all in even greater shock.

"Black Arms!" Amy gasped. "How did…"

"They're working with the angels, no doubt." Shadow growled. "If the Black Arms are here, that must mean Black Doom is alive and working with these white-robed murderers."

"Great…heaven and hell are working together…can this day get any worse?" Sonic groaned.

"Please don't say that…" Shadow said. "Let's get to shelter."

"Perhaps I can help you…" a familiar voice said. Shadow was the first to recognize the voice.

"Doctor Robotnik…what the hell are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'll explain everything on the way."

-- -- -- -- --

"Lord Armeil…" Black Doom said in greeting to the Seraph Armeil. They shook hands cordially, and the angel acknowledged Ragozine, who was also present.

"It's good to see you all again," the angel said to his fellow conspirators.

"It seems the plan is working out flawlessly," Ragozine said. "The Chaos Emeralds, as well as the Master Emerald, are now in our possession. The planet is on its way to their deserved doom, and our minions are having the time of their lives."

"There is the matter of those hedgehogs," Black Doom noted. "Do you think they pose a threat? After all, the pink one did not even to use the Emeralds to beat Ragozine."

"Don't remind me," the demon grumbled. "But no…as long as we have the Emeralds, nothing can go wrong. Let us celebrate for our great victory! The world is ours, and our great master will have his fill while we rule."

"Indeed. Has he been notified?" Armeil asked.

"You forget that the great master can sense anything that happens on this planet," Black Doom answered. "But as Ragozine said, we must celebrate! How about a group evil laugh?"

"Indeed…we haven't done that in three thousand years!" Armeil said jocularly. All three began to laugh maniacally in celebration of the victory…

-- -- -- -- --

"So…you want to help us beat these guys?" Sonic asked as he tried to make sense of the scientist's offer. "Why do you want to help us?"

"Well, I want these beings off our planet as much as you do, for reasons of my own, of course," Doctor Robotnik replied. "If we put our heads together, we can surely find a way to get the Chaos Emeralds back. With my genius, and the abilities of all of you, I'm sure we can do it. Besides, I want to humiliate that annoying kitsune Tails for making a mockery of my work!"

"Tails is a kitsune?" Tahra exclaimed. "I knew I was right."

"He's also the one who helped me build my robot army," Doctor Robotnik added.

"Woah-woah-woah! Say that again?" Sonic exclaimed as he recoiled from this astounding revelation. In spite of all that had happened in the past few hours, he could still be surprised.

"He gave me the designs for my machines, so I could bring him the Chaos Emeralds."

"But he could have taken them at any time when he was with us," Sonic said. "Why didn't he just steal it then?"

"When you're a big-shot villain, you disdain doing things yourself," the scientist replied.

"Figures," Shadow mumbled. "But let's try and think of something. We have to get those Chaos Emeralds before those creeps use them to destroy the world…"


	12. Chapter 12: Super Power

**Chapter Twelve**

**Author's Note: **You know what would rock? If someone who liked this story would make it into a decent web-comic, or even a Flash animation about it. I'm not asking anyone to, but if someone did, I would be so happy! Even concept art or fanart would be nice…anyway, here's the next chapter!

**-- -- -- -- -- --**

After spending a little time at the base, Doctor Robotnik led Sonic, Shadow, Amy and Tahra down into the bowels of his base, to show him his newest work. They came to a room with a large door with several locks on it. The doctor inputted a code into the security lock, and the doors began to open.

"Behold, my friends, my latest and greatest work ever!" Doctor Robotnik beamed as he presented his newest machine to the four hedgehogs. The machine was a strange one. There were four glass tubes connected to a strange machine that was hooked up to a huge metal, flat-bottomed sphere with mysterious runes on it. The sphere was emitting a tiny amount of blue-green light from the runes.

"What exactly is it?" Sonic asked, scratching his head. "I hope this isn't some sort of trick."

"This was my grandfather's third greatest work, behind Shadow and the ARK. It is a machine that increases one's sensitivity to cosmic energy."

"…Sensitivity to cosmic energy?" Shadow asked. "What do you mean?"

"After studying my grandfather's work on ancient history, he had discovered that one particular race on this planet is particularly sensitive to the flow of cosmic energy...the hedgehogs. When properly trained, they could draw upon cosmic energy to perform amazing feats of strength and agility. A few special individuals were even able to use the Chaos Emeralds to change into what you call a Super form."

"That's great and all…but what does this machine do?" Tahra said.

The scientist chuckled a little. "It will allow you to draw upon the power of the Emeralds from a very great distance, and even supplement it with the natural flow that encircles this world."

"Doctor…if we weren't enemies…I'd hug you right now," Sonic said when he heard this statement. "Still, there has to be a catch."

"There is," Ivo replied. "The process will be long and painful, and there's a chance that the shock will kill you. But it may be the only way."

"I'm willing to do it," Amy said bravely. "We have no other choice." Amy made her way toward the tube on the far left.

"If Amy goes, I go," Shadow said, and went over to the tube next to her.

"If this Super transformation is as great as it sounds, count me in," Tahra said, and went over to the tube on the far right.

"I guess I'm in too," Sonic sighed. He entered the tube between Tahra and Shadow. Once all four were in the tubes, each gave the Doctor the nod to start the process. The scientist went over to the machine, and pressed a pressure plate on the center of the sphere. The runes began to glow, and the tubes suddenly began to emanate light.

Never before had any of them felt such pain. The sensation was a combination of being burned by a blue-hot fire, stung by a thousand angry wasps, shocked by lightning and having sharp spears run though every part of their body. Still each clenched their teeth, trying not to scream. Their minds began to hallucinate; their bodies began to hemorrhage; and their blood threatened to burst their veins wide open. But still they held on to life, resisting the cold, grim hand of death.

The torturous process lasted for almost fifteen minutes, after which time the machine stopped itself, and the tubes opened up. The four dropped out on their hands and knees, gasping for breath. Amy had gotten a bloody nose, and blood was dripping out of Sonic's mouth.

"Never…make us…go in there…again…" Shadow wheezed.

"So…you managed to survive," the doctor said with a tad of disappointment in his voice. He then pressed a button on a nearby console to summon some medical robots. Normally they served to treat the various cuts and burns associated with tinkering with prototype robots, but now they would help the hedgehogs recover.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Everyone but Sonic was asleep in the makeshift medical bay that was made in the Doctor's base. Sonic was staring up at the ceiling, hoping to fall asleep from being plain tired. As his eyes finally began to close, he felt an unearthly presence near his bed. His vision could make out the faintly glowing outline of a fox with wings.

"Tails…you…came…" Sonic growled quietly, trying to avoid waking the others.

"Hello, Sonic," Tails whispered. "It seems you all managed to survive the torture of the first part of your evolution."

"What…do you mean…'evolution'?"

"It will become clear in time. I have merely come to check your progress, nothing more. Goodbye, Sonic. I'll see you again." Before Sonic could say anything more, Tails disappeared into the blackness.

…_Evolution, huh? _Sonic said to himself. _I hope it isn't a bad thing…_

Sonic began to drift into slumber at last, and he greeted it with open arms.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Goooood morning, hedgehogs!" the Doctor yelled in the corniest upbeat tone he could muster. They all awoke slowly, but soon they were all sitting up in bed.

"Ugh…'morning, doc." Sonic groaned.

"Please, call me Ivo," Doctor Robotnik replied. "I had my chef robots whip up some food for you. I'm sure you'll find it to your liking."

"Why are you being so nice all of a sudden, Doc…erm, Ivo?" Shadow asked.

"Believe me, it isn't easy," Ivo answered. "You have no idea how tempting it was to finish you off after you came out of those tubes. I suppose I've lost my villainous touch." The robots came in, each carrying a plate of light brown goo not unlike oatmeal.

"Oatmeal?" Sonic said as he eyed the dish warily. "Are you sure you're not trying to kill us, Doc? I still don't trust you."

"I eat this stuff every day. It is specially formulated to not only give you a complete day of nutrients, but it will heal any damage my medical robots couldn't fix. This is how I've managed to stay alive after you kept destroying my inventions."

"This stuff must work pretty well, then. I guess its bottom's up…" Tahra said. With a degree of caution the four began to eat the oatmeal-like substance. To their surprise, the substance did everything the doctor had said. They were all up on their feet, stretching their limbs.

"NOW do you trust me?" Ivo asked in a slightly whiny voice.

"Okay, you're right…thanks, Ivo…" Sonic sighed. "But about this Super form business…are you sure that's what the machine did?"

"No pain, no gain…" Shadow interjected. "I think Sonic and I can give the ladies a lesson…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Come back here and fight fair!" Amy yelled as Shadow once again Chaos Controlled out of her reach. The lesson Shadow had in mind was an intense sparring session, which took place just outside Ivo's base. Amy was at a bit of a disadvantage, since she couldn't use Shadow's signature technique. Shadow was laying a pummeling on her, but he was hoping for one thing…that the stress of combat would push her over the transformation threshold. Shadow reappeared behind her, and uppercut Amy in the chin. She landed face-down, and Shadow stood over her, shaking his head in disappointment.

"C'mon Amy, is that all you've got?" he said in a mocking tone, "Stop holding back…I know you are! Unless you can use the Super transformation, we may never be able to save everyone!" Amy didn't respond.

"Fine then…maybe you ARE too weak. I really thought you had the potential…but I guess I was wrong. You're nothing but a weakling…" Shadow began to walk away, but suddenly felt the ground begin to shake a little. Pebbles scattered across the dusty field were vibrating, and the air itself was beginning to hum. Shadow's frown turned to a small smirk.

"I...am…no…weakling…" Amy growled as she stood up. Her green eyes had turned an orange-red, and her hair was starting to rise.

Shadow realized that his mockery was working, so he continued. "Come on, little girl! Are you going to standing there having a tantrum or are you going to show me what you've got?" Amy seemed to take this comment personally. The dust around her began to swirl like a vortex, and now she was flashing between her natural pink and the gold hue of the Super form.

"I'll show you a tantrum…" Amy said with a grin, and with a last cry of rage…she crossed the threshold. Shadow's expression now turned to eager joy. Amy had finally managed to use the Super transformation, and now he could kick it up a notch.

"Now we're cooking with gas!" Shadow said. With surprisingly little effort, he changed into his own Super form. Now the two could really get down to business…

-- -- -- -- -- --

Ivo observed with great care the four fluctuating bars on his screen. The machine scanned the flow of cosmic energy through the bodies of the four hedgehogs. Amy's transformation was indicated by a major jump in her respective bar. As the scientist was doing this, he was unaware of Metal Sonic casually walking in. After the latest version of Metal Sonic had been dashed to pieces, a copy was quickly awakened.

"Greetings, master…" the robot said. Ivo jumped a little at the sound of the robot's voice. "I see you are still checking their energy flows. You've been obsessing over those hedgehogs ever since they arrived."

"The Chaos Emeralds are amazing things, Metal Sonic. I used to believe that those gigantic jewels were merely tools of power," the scientist sighed, "But after perusing through my grandfather's notes, that belief has vanished. The Chaos Emeralds are only containers for some of the vast energy this planet exudes. It is hard to believe that a single species would evolve the ability to use it to such incredible ends."

"It is no wonder your grandfather choose the hedgehog as the basis for the ultimate life form," Metal Sonic noted. As his visual sensors that served as eyes passed over the meter, Tahra's bar suddenly rocketed upward to level with Sonic's, Shadow's and Amy's.

"It seems Tahra has crossed the threshold of the Super form," Metal Sonic noted. Ivo glanced over to the bars, and smiled. His grin did not last long when Tahra, in her Super form, went hurtling through the glass window, making a dent in the wall, and wrecking a few of the Doctor's devices. The monitor with the meters remained intact.

"Oops…sorry, Doc. Blame Sonic," Tahra apologized in an embarrassed tone. She sped out of the window from whence she came. A second later, a loud grunt issued forth from outside, and a crash. Ivo glanced at the bars to fin Sonic's had fallen to its normal levels.

"It seems Sonic has finally been beaten…and by a friend of his," Ivo chuckled. "How ironic. I think I've seen enough." He grabbed a microphone next to him, but found that the sound system had been smashed by Tahra.

"If I had a program that enabled laughter at the suffering of others, I would be rolling on the floor right now," Metal Sonic said emotionlessly. "Anyway, I'm sure they're going to tire."

-- -- -- -- -- --

Sonic was sitting on the roof looking at the stars again. He couldn't sleep lately, for reasons he couldn't figure out. He joined by Amy, who crawled out of a small round door that led to the roof.

"Hey, Sonic," Amy said as she sat down next to him. Sonic acknowledged her with a grunt.

"You want to…um…talk or something…just as friends?" Sonic shrugged and grunted an affirmative response. He sat up, but continued to avoid Amy's eyes.

Amy looked at Sonic who was looking away. "Lately…I've been thinking about all that's been happening…Tails turning traitor, the angel attack, Shadow and I getting together…"

"You must be really happy," Sonic sighed. "It must be great to be with someone you truly care about. Shadow treats you pretty well. Better than I ever treated you…" Sonic stood up, walked to the edge of the flat part and sat down again, hanging his legs onto the slope. Amy, feeling that something was on Sonic's mind, followed him.

"You saved me whenever you could…that's pretty caring of you," Amy said, trying to make Sonic feel better. "Up until recently, I doubt Shadow would have done the same thing. It's amazing how much he's changed since he first beat Black Doom. It's like love has changed him." As Amy said this, Sonic closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Amy wondered if he was going to say something important.

"Amy…for the longest time…I didn't like you. You were annoying, overly perky and sickeningly cute. I couldn't stand you."

"People change as time passes. I suppose I certainly did. I look back on that and wonder how anyone could have stood me when I was like that."

"But as time passed, and I got to know you…I suppose I began to actually like you…"

"…Really?" Amy exclaimed, half-surprised.

"Yeah…but I hid it from everyone. I didn't want anyone to know how I really felt, especially you. But I guess I was really bad at it. Everyone wanted me to just admit to you my real feelings for you."

"You just did," Amy said bluntly.

"But now it's too late. You and Shadow are an item. Now I don't have anyone."

Amy put her hand on Sonic's shoulder. "Don't give up yet…I'm pretty sure there's someone who really cares. She just doesn't know it yet." Amy winked at Sonic. She got up and went back through the porthole, leaving Sonic alone.

_Tahra…_ Sonic said to himself…


	13. Chapter 13: Sieging the Tower

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Author's Note**: Must…have…fan art! Tell every Sonic the Hedgehog fan you know about my fan fiction! Surely there must be someone who is willing to transform my words into images of beauty and 1337ness!

Okay, I've begged and pleaded enough. Next chapter!

-- -- -- -- -- --

"I wonder how high up it goes," Sonic said thoughtfully as he stared at the looming Tower of Judgment from the main control room of Doctor Robotnik's base. The immense white and silver tower seemed impossible architecturally. The spire rose thousands of feet in the air, and in reality, reached all the way into space.

"One thing's for sure…it's really tall," Tahra said. "It's going to take forever to get all the way up. The place is probably really well-defended too. We couldn't just barge in through the front door…we'd have the entire hosts of heaven breathing down our necks before long."

"I suspect we could get in via the ARK," Shadow said, "but the fact that it's up there would mean that the Tower is shielded. Damn it…those creeps thought of everything."

"Front door it is, then…" Sonic sighed. "But how can we slip through undetected? The only thing we need is a…dis…traction…" He turned to Ivo, who was apparently pretending to not to overhear, looked up from his book. Realizing that he was to be the "distraction", he let out a grunt of grudging agreement.

"Right…the Doc's robots keep the main defense force distracted, while the rest of us slip into the tower. You won't have to do a thing, Ivo."

"I suppose I'm willing to make a few sacrifices," the scientist said in a more genial tone, now secure in his safety. "But don't make them in vain, hedgehogs…"

"We can't make any promises, Eggman…but we'll try," Amy replied.

-- -- -- -- --

"So…this is it guys," Amy said reflectively as the four flew over the large desert toward Westopolis in their Super forms, "we're going to rush the gates of heaven itself. The entire planet is counting on us, knowingly or not."

"I wonder what we're going to do when this whole mess is over…" Shadow contemplated out loud, "and what will the world do?"

"I guess we'll try to adjust to normal life again." Tahra sighed. "But the question is…will life be normal again? I suspect every organized religion in the world has had its beliefs dashed…knowing that heaven is out to tear all mortals apart."

"…Religion? Bah. I always knew that no so-called supreme being existed," Sonic said casually, "let alone a benevolent one. Besides, we can live our own way, as long as it isn't completely self-serving, right? Religion's just some trumped-up human invention, in my opinion, to keep the stupid in line."

"So you're saying the Chaos Emeralds have no sacred significance?" Tahra said skeptically.

"The Chaos Emeralds are just big gems with lots of…what was it again, Shadow?"

"It's called cosmic energy, Sonic."

"Yeah…what Shadow said. We don't know what they were created for or who made them."

"Everything has a purpose, Sonic…" Amy interjected, "even if it's a good or an evil one."

"Is this conversation even necessary?" Shadow groaned. "The bottom line is that everything we used to know is a lie. Now we need to beat the guys who perpetuated that lie into the ground. End of story."

The four flew on, when Amy's gaze moved to the ground, and she noticed movement on the ground. She stopped, and the other three stopped as well, a few yards away.

"Amy…let's go!" Tahra said, waving Amy over.

_I could have sworn I saw…no…It couldn't be. I must be seeing things_. Amy disregarded her false vision and flew onward with the group. The siege of heaven itself was about to begin…

-- -- -- -- --

"Get going, you dirty mortals," the angel spat as he forced Cream and her mother, Vanilla, along with the rest of the souls that would be judged that day. The two rabbits had tried to stray from the group, but were caught just as they began.

"Stupid angels…" Cream groaned. "Why do they have to do this?"

"Silence, child…or you'll receive your punishment where you stand!" said the same angel in a threatening manner, prodding Cream in the back with his spear. Cream gave her winged captor a mean look, and was about to continue her march when she was grabbed.

"Actually, child…you are to come with me…" the angel said as he recalled something. "…the Great Seraph Milos wanted a young female rabbit your age brought to him directly. And I'll be the one to do it…" The angel grabbed Cream by her long ears and yanked her out of the crowd.

"Mom!" Cream cried with her arms outstretched and tears in her eyes. Vanilla looked on hopelessly as her daughter was taken from her. The parting of mother and child would stir all but the most soulless of individuals. But then again, angels were beings without souls. Vanilla was prodded onward by another guard, and her march into oblivion continued.

Higher and higher the angel flew, up towards the higher parts of the Tower of Judgment. Cream grew dizzy as the air go thinner and the ground appeared more and more distant. Her fear was mixed with a state of awe, amazed by the tower's impressive height and ironically wondrous beauty. She was about to black out when the angel alighted on a platform. She was roughly tossed to the ground near a large pair of doors, guarded by two powerful-looking angel guards.

"Here's the rabbit that Lord Milos requested," the angel addressed the guards. "I wonder what he would want with a child so young."

"We don't know…but we aren't about to question one of the Seraphim…" one of the guards replied as he grabbed Cream by the upper arm. The guard took Cream, who had given up on struggling, inside.

-- -- -- -- --

The Tower's interior was extremely bright, almost blinding, with whites, gold and silver shades dominating the color scheme. The hallways were arched with rough, natural white stone, and the doors were plated with silver and gold. Cream had to squint in these conditions to keep from going blind. The guard took Cream to another pair of doors, even more impressive than the first. The door was intricately carved with little cherubs with trumpets, all surrounded three individual angels: a two-tailed fox, a hedgehog, and in the center, an echidna. A huge jewel, probably the Master Emerald was hovering above the echidna.

The guard opened the massive door with one hand, revealing an immense and heavenly chamber. A massive fountain of pure water was the main feature of the room. The colors were slightly darker, so Cream's eyes were relaxed. The room was also scattered with various metal objects, many resembling machine parts. A workbench colored like ivory was in one corner, and there stood a fox angel with two tails.

"Lord Milos! The young female rabbit you requested has arrived," the guard called to the Seraph in a deferring way. "It seems to fit your exact specifications. Shall I leave her here?"

"Yes. Leave her here," Milos replied without turning to face the guard. "I wish to spend time with her…alone." The guard bowed respectfully, pushed Cream into the room and closed the door. After a few moments, the seraph turned around, and Cream was astonished to his identity.

"Tails…you're an angel?" Cream exclaimed, before turning angry. "You're leading these bad angels!"

"I see you recognize me by my false form," Milos said with a bit of surprise. "Tails is merely a false name. I am Milos, one of Judgment's three Seraphim. It's amazing how you can fool mortals by changing a single letter in your name."

"We were all fooled." Cream's shock had turned into contempt for her former friend. But still, a shred of hope was in her heart, and now another question came into her thoughts.

"Still, I want to ask you something," she said shyly.

"I am an open book to you, Cream," Milos said in a kinder tone.

"Why did you save me? You've sent thousands to their doom, and yet you save me…why?"

Milos smiled. "Cream…you remind me of someone I met long ago…"

"How long ago was it?"

The angel now began to approach her. "I have lived for over six millennia, and I haven't aged a day. Even over the ages, I still remember her. It was before the Second Great Cataclysm that that girl and I met. You look so much like her."

Cream started to back towards the door. "Are you saying that…"

"Indeed. I have become enamored with you, little rabbit. Ever since I first met you, I wished I could take you away from the dreadfully sinful world and make you my eternal love."

"I liked you a lot too, but…" Cream said uneasily.

"You WILL stay here with me in the Tower of Judgment…forever."

"Tails…Milos…it seems creepy. I'm only nine-and-a-half. You're six thousand years old."

"I can change my own appearance and growth to anything, and I can affect yours to a point as well," the seraph answered with confidence. "Let's see how you will look if…seven years passed!" He grasped the rabbit by the arm. She was engulfed in light for several seconds, and when she came out of it, it was just as Milos had predicted: Cream now had the body and mind of a sixteen year old. Her orange-and-peach dress was replaced with a bathing suit-like top, covering only her newly blossomed bust. Her legs were also adorned with fresh-smelling jeans.

"Tails…what's happened to me? Am I…"

"Yes, Cream. This is what you will look like in seven years…unless you wish to remain this way for now. You look absolutely splendid."

"I do look pretty, don't I…" Cream said a little vainly, before regaining her old self. "...But I don't want to stay here…I want to live with my mom on Earth…not in this Tower!"

"Very well then…" Milos said with a slightly fervent tone in his voice, "I'll have her judgment permanently postponed, as long as she agrees to remain here as my prisoner and servant. Both you and I will have what you want…I get to live with you, and your mother will live. I shall treat her well."

Cream started to wonder just how much power she had over Milos. The seraph was indeed enraptured by her appearance, especially with her sixteen-year-old body. A plan formed in her more developed brain.

"I'll only stay with you on one condition."

Milos was oblivious to what the rabbit was planning. "Name it, and it shall be so!"

"I want you to stop these killings at once. You're the leader of these angels, right?"

The pseudo-spell Cream had over the seraph was broken for a moment. "You have to be crazy! I can't defy the will of Armeil, even if it is for the one I love! He is the leader of the Judgment, and his word is the One True Law. I cannot disobey it."

Cream seemed utterly stupefied by this. "The One True Law, huh? What kind of true law sends every intelligent creature into the void of oblivion? Armeil has to be completely crazy to declare such a law! For a smart person, you sure are stupid!"

Milos, despite his indignation at Cream's overbearing defiance, couldn't help but see reason in her words. Memories of the times he spent with his friends on Earth came rushing through his mind.

_Cream's right, _Milos thought._ For far too long I've been blinded by my belief that Armeil's idea of the inherent sinfulness in intelligent beings was the truth. But Sonic…and everyone…they were so good to me, and they did so much for the greater good…_

"Okay, Cream, you've convinced me to help stop this madness," Milos replied. "But there are things that I have already set in motion that cannot be reversed, but whose course can be changed. For now, destiny must play out as Armeil intended, as much as now wish it should not be. If I try to make those changes now, Armeil will find us out."

"Thank you, Milos…"

"Please…call me Tails. Now, here's what you need to know…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Good ol' Eggman…for once he proved useful!" Sonic quipped as the mad dash to the front door of the Tower of Judgment began. A massive horde of angels were occupied with the doctor's robot army. The two guards at the door were caught unaware, not expecting a direct attack on the front door. With a few quick attacks, the angels were down the ground, their soulless bodies without life.

"This is easier than I thought," Amy said. "But it seems too easy…could they be expecting us?"

"Somehow, I wouldn't be surprised," Shadow replied. "But do we really have any other option?"

The only response was Sonic kicking at the massive front door, forcing it open.

"Shadow's right. Let's get going," was all Sonic said before he started down the hall, with the others following.

The hall led to a massive central chamber with a ceiling so high it couldn't be seen. The walls were engraved with images of echidnas, hedgehogs and other races doing battle with each other. There was a single white marble stairway leading upward. As expected, at least twenty-five angels were posted in the room, all armed with spears and eager to fight. A few guarded strange glowing pedestals.

"This must be the welcoming committee," Shadow said in a cocky tone that sounded a lot like Sonic. "Let's not keep them waiting." With a nod to each other, the four changed into the Super forms and went headlong into combat.

The angels put up a ferocious fight, but the hedgehogs' Super forms made them all but impervious to the enemy's weapons. It was only a matter of minutes before all twenty-five were on the ground dead. Many had burns from Shadow's Chaos Spear, and others were bruised and broken from punches and kicks that could break a dump truck. The four escaped with nothing more than a few nicks and scratches.

"As I said before, that was too easy," Amy said in a tone of disappointment. "I was really hoping to get a good fight out of this."

"Save your energy, guys. We can't waste it on these grunts. We have to get to the top floor. I bet that's where we'll find the leaders of the angels, including that traitor Tails."

"How about I just use Chaos Control to get up there?" Shadow suggested. "It will save us a lot of time. If we can use our Super forms here, then Chaos Control should work."

"For once, I think that's a good idea," Sonic answered. "There must be hundreds of floors…and Shadow can warp from the ground into space in one quick jump, why bother taking the long way? It's just plain common sense."

"Sonic using common sense…why does that seem to be a contradiction of terms?" Amy joked.

"That's not funny, Amy," Sonic groaned. "Let's just warp up to the top and get this little jaunt over with." The group linked hands and in a flash, they disappeared and reappeared on what appeared to be the top floor. Of course, the door was guarded…this time by two muscular angels with giant swords.

"Great…more grunts…" Shadow groaned.

"Let's just wail on them and get through that door," Amy added.


	14. Chapter 14: Reprecussions

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Author's Note: **I'm starting to think I'm rushing the plot way too much. Perhaps it is time I slowed things down a bit…you know…for character development and stuff like that. I also think I need to practice writing good fight scenes…it's really hard. I also need a thesaurus to find more variations of the word "say". It's just me though…

**-- -- -- -- -- --**

"And stay down!" Tahra said as the hulking angel finally lay dead on the ground. The two guards had put up a very good fight, but in the end, they were no match for the four hedgehogs. Normally, Tahra was not one to gloat over the loss of life…but she had no sympathy for the soulless being, nor did the others. Each had the same goal: the ultimate defeat of the Judgment, and saving the world. Now their objective was a mere stone's throw away.

No words were exchanged from the four friends, but so much could be said from their body language. Shadow and Amy exchanged a brief affectionate glance, while Sonic was scanning the humongous door, which was as white as all the others. It's only distinguishing feature was a circular indentation. Sonic finally gave the door a swift kick, but it didn't budge. He kicked it again, still with no results.

"Damn door…" Sonic mumbled. He kicked it yet again, this time with all his might. Still, it held fast. Tahra, meanwhile, had taken a small medallion from one of the guards. She placed the medallion in the indentation, and grinned at Sonic as the door began to slowly open.

"Smart aleck…" Sonic muttered under his breath, as he strode through the door, with the others following. The door had opened to another hallway. At the other end was another pair of massive doors. This time, they were slightly ajar, and the mumbling of voices could be heard from the other side. There was no light coming from the room, though. The four, with only a nod, pushed the loose door forward, and entered the darkened room.

-- -- -- -- --

Judging from the echoing of their footsteps, the room had to be huge. But that was all they could make out…at least until the lights came up. When it did, the nature of the room proved to be anything but heavenly. The primary color of this room was a dark grey, and the walls projected statues of angels with spears looking down on them like a hawk would stalk a rabbit from high up. The room also had an immense central circle with strange runes written within it. As expected, Ragozine, Tails and Black Doom were present, but two other angels were present: a human-like angel and a hedgehog one.

"Well, well, if it isn't the four fools-at-arms," Ragozine taunted from his perch, his mocking and hiss-like voice ringing through the chamber. "I would like to say that we've been expecting you, but that line is so old hat."

"It's been three years since we've met, my friends," Black Doom continued. "This is surely a stupendous reunion! Don't you think so, Armeil?"

The human-like angel nodded. "Yes. We've heard so much about your travails. You've even managed to learn the method of drawing the power of the Emeralds from a great distance! Then again, it was all the idea of Milos here!"

"Can the chit-chat, you creeps!" Sonic retorted, pointing his finger at them in defiance, "We've come here to end this once and for all!" Armeil, Black Doom and Ragozine looked at each other, and started to laugh uncontrollably.

"What the hell is so funny?" Shadow said over this laughter.

"Oh, you have the wrong idea entirely…" Black Doom chuckled in his usual sinister manner. "You can't defeat _us_…the ones who made you who you are! We've been manipulating you for years! What makes you think you can stop us now?"

"He has a point," another voice rang out. Nazo, who was the owner of the voice, appeared on the ground floor, on the far side of the room. He was different now…his black eyes had turned a vivid sapphire. "It's been fun meddling with you all up until now, but I think it is time we got serious!"

Nazo raised his right hand, palm to the ceiling, and the seven Chaos Emeralds plus the Master Emerald appeared, and began to circle his hand like a merry-go-round.

"Hand over those Emeralds, Nazo…or we won't be responsible for our actions!" Sonic threatened.

"I'm afraid it's not quite like that…" Nazo said with an evil grin. The Master Emerald began to darken, and about a second later it shot four black bolts at them, making contact on their foreheads. Their pupils disappeared as they dropped to their knees.

"Everything is in place!" Nazo cried triumphantly. "Now we shall be whole again!"

…_Whole again_? Tails wondered. _He can't be…_

"Now, my brethren Aspects…return from your imprisonment and revive our Core that lies under the stone! Bring back our body and enslave the ones who served us!"

"WHAT!" Ragozine, Armeil and Black Doom exclaimed in unison. The eyes of Amy, Sonic and Shadow emitted four beams of black energy, striking the three stunned minions. Armeil and the hedgehog angel dodged these blasts. When the beams passed, entirely new beings were in their place.

Ragozine had transformed into a cross between a horrendously muscled man and his demon dragon form. Many spikes of bone protruded from his back, and his six eyes gleamed with hellfire. The head quills of his hedgehog form were still present, but were much longer. His tail was also equipped with a heavy spiked club.

Black Doom had changed into a smaller version of his Devil Doom form, but it was supplemented with six crab-like legs, and had only one head. The single head, appeared insect-like, but had massive bull-like horns sharper than spears rather than antennae.

Armeil had a more subtle change. His golden hair had turned jet black, and his white feathered wings were turned black as well. His eyes had turned red too.

"Welcome back, my brothers…Leawdak, Black Doom and Ragozine…" Nazo addressed the changed forms. Unaware to any of them save Tails, Tahra had managed to break out of the spell, and looked on in terror at these new fiends. Leawdak, the black-haired angel, noticed Tahra.

"Look, Nazo…one of them has broken free…"

Nazo turned around to see Tahra shaking her head in disbelief, and addressed her.

"You're stronger-willed than I thought, child. But it makes it all the more satisfying to have a witness see the next stage of your friends' evolution! Go, brothers, take the bodies as hosts, and bring judgment upon the world!"

The three fiends nodded and turned into black puffs of smoke. As they squeezed their way into the three mind-trapped souls, their minds and thoughts fused together, and events too horrible for words transpired…

-- -- -- -- -- --

**Author's Note**: The events that would happen between this and the next part would push the rating to "M" and I dare not go that far…or maybe it's just that I'm lazy. I'll try to cover them in this next part.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Tails finished inscribing the last part of the rune onto Sonic's arm. Shadow and Amy also had this same rune. They had been writhing, screaming and cursing as they tried to escape their bonds of magically reinforced adamant, but to no avail.

Many of their friends were there as well: Knuckles, Rouge, Cream, the Chaotix, and even Omega had lent a hand in subduing the three, and now watched in a combined look of concern and disgust as Tails did his work. Shadow and Amy were now about to come out of their trance.

"Wh…what happened?" Amy exclaimed when she came to. Cream, on the verge of tears, strode forward and punched Amy in the face as hard as she could. Of course, Amy had no idea who this rabbit was. Before she could respond, Cream began to scream in her face.

"You monster, you unfeeling cretin; how could you do those things!" the rabbit ranted. "You killed my mom! You ripped her head off, you freak!"

"Me? I would never…" Amy stammered. She looked at Tails, who simply turned away in a forlorn manner. Shadow started to come out of his trance, and now Omega strode forward and belted the bound hedgehog.

"Shadow…I am disgusted with you. You are responsible for the deaths of at least 45,626 innocent people. Amy is also guilty of the pointless massacre of 32,845 innocents, including Cream's female parental unit. Amy even went as far as to devour her own mother."

"My mom…is dead…because of me…" Amy whimpered.

"You're out of your mind, Omega. Amy and I would never do things like that!"

"Are you blind, Shadow?" Rouge fumed, resisting the urge to smack the ebon hedgehog, "I saw you laughing! You were enjoying it! Amy and Sonic too!"

"Who could have known that hedgehogs were capable of such despicable things…" Knuckles growled. "…it's a good thing Tahra didn't start bowing before that monster Nazo!"

"Tahra…is this really all true?" Shadow asked nervously. Tahra gave a nod, and turned her head away from them in contempt. A glance to the Chaotix only resulted in another gift of the cold shoulder. By now, Sonic had come out of his trance as well.

"Oh my aching head…" Sonic groaned. He noticed Shadow and Amy bowing their heads, sobbing quietly. One of his gloves felt warm and damp, and he soon realized what had just happened.

"Is this what I think it is?" Sonic asked. "Are we really…"

"Not only that…" Vector growled. "You three participated in the destruction of the ENTIRE HUMAN RACE. Yeah. There are no more humans. You and the Judgment killed them all! You don't know how much every one here wants to see you dead."

"The entire…human…race…how could we?" he mumbled, before glancing at Tails. "And what is Tails doing here! He's one of the Judgment's leaders! He's the one responsible!"

"If it wasn't for Tails, we'd all be dead," Knuckles replied, still angry. "He turned his back on the Judgment to save the Chaos Emeralds and Tahra. I can only wish that he'd have done it sooner." He left the room in disgust. The others, save Tahra and Tails, followed him.

"If we really did those things…how long has it been;" Shadow half-sobbed in the midst of composing himself. "If we did kill every human on Earth, it has to have been a while…"

"Your rampages lasted three weeks, and I spent two days trying to find a way to keep you under control," Tails said as he began to remove their bonds. "Nazo's brothers fused their souls with yours, making their thoughts yours as well. So technically, you are responsible for all the suffering of those three weeks. They still reside within you as well."

Amy dried her tears now. "Then why are we back to normal like this?"

Tahra decided to explain. "There are runes on your arms, called Marks of Penitence. They suppress the evil in your souls, and negate your Chaos powers, including your ability to use your Super forms. The creatures that are within you changed your bodies. It is a result of the darkness in the Chaos Emeralds."

"And how do we get these runes off?" Sonic asked.

Tails took a deep breath. "There is an ancient prophecy, that in order for the Heroes to be freed of their sins, and defeat the One True Evil, they must find the four Sacred Arms; and to do that, they must gain the blessing from each race who participated in their forging."

"So…I bet we have to do something really good for these races," Shadow said. "But what are the Sacred Arms, and who are the races that forged them?"

Tahra continued here. "The four Sacred Arms are Excalibur, the Sacred Sword; Masamune, the Perfect Katana; Mjolnir, the Thunder Hammer; and Splendra, the Emerald Mace. From what the legends speak of, Sonic gets Excalibur, Shadow gets Masamune…"

"I get Mjolnir," Amy interrupted, "and Splendra is Tahra's."

"Actually, Tahra doesn't need the blessing, because she did not stain her hands with the blood of innocents. It's unfair, I know."

Sonic stared at the blood on his gloved hand, which was beginning to clot. "No…I think it's perfectly fine. But what about the races we need to find?"

"Shadow must find the chameleons, the wolves and the hawks," Tails answered. Espio can lead you to the Chameleon homeland, Shadow. Amy must gain the blessing of the moles, the bats and the toads. Sonic must obtain the blessing of the hedgehogs, the echidnas, and…" he turned his head away at this point, as if he did not wish to say it, "…the kitsune…"

"So I guess Amy will be lugging Rouge along, while I have to put up with you and Knuckles, Tails," Sonic concluded before sighing. "This is going to be one difficult adventure."

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Wow…" Shadow said as he and Amy stared up at the stars, as they had done so many times before together. The sky was different, though…it had gotten a reddish tint, from all the blood that had spilled because of their actions. "It's hard to believe that all the humans are dead…and that we're responsible."

"Yeah…I almost feel like I don't know who I am anymore," Amy replied. "I feel like I don't belong in this body. Our hands have cut so many innocent lives short. How could we have allowed the Judgment to win?"

"That doesn't matter now. The only actions we can take are to try and get the blessing of each race. I have a feeling that we've done things to them that we weren't enlightened on."

"But the worst part of it is that we don't know when, or even if, we'll see each other again," Amy said in a half-sob. She went up very close to Shadow, and they half-embraced. "All this time we've been together, and now we'll be alone again."

"No…we will see each other again…" Shadow replied in a tone that was both of sadness and confidence. Tears had now forced their way up. "I promise you…we will see each other again!"

Amy's face was slowly, and unconsciously, nearing Shadow's. "…Really?"

"I promise," Shadow whispered. They could taste each other's breath for a moment, and their scents became absolutely irresistible to each other. The couple's hearts began beating in time, and the breathing was also in synch. The feelings that they always had, the one thing that they wanted to do, but didn't feel ready for…now they were ready. With one final emotional nudge, their mouths met.

Their kiss was one neither would forget. Time seemed to stop for them both, and for that moment, neither wanted to let go of the other. The moment was a one that rivaled Romeo and Juliet…the pair of young loves whose affection for each other was sincere, almost holy, a sacred love foretold by the ancient scriptures. When the two finally forced themselves to let go, it felt like they had thrust spears through their own chests. Without even looking at each other, the two walked away from each other, starting on their own respective journeys of repentance, even before the first steps would be taken. One could almost hear the spirits of the ancients weep in grief at this sight.

-- -- -- -- --

"Tahra, I…"

"Sonic…I know you think there's no one out there. You think that no one can love you for the things you've done. Even your own friends were disgusted with you."

"I deserve it. But I have to ask you something…what did I look like when I was overtaken?"

"If I had just seen you for the first time, I would say you looked wondrous. You looked just like your father."

Sonic, who had been feeling amorous, suddenly recoiled from this shocking statement. "How do you know my dad, Tahra! I didn't even know he was alive!"

"It's a funny story, really…"

"_Devlin…" Tails said to his companion. "We need to stop Nazo before he takes over Tahra. We can't save your son, but we can try to save the girl he cares for!"_

"_Milos, we'll both be killed if we try and oppose Nazo!" Devlin replied. "Who gave you this crazy idea of opposing Lord Nazo?"_

"_Just help me…for Sonic's sake!"_

_Devlin nodded uneasily, and the two angels sprung at Nazo, who was moments away from taking over Tahra's mind. Nazo was surprised by this sudden attack, and Tahra shook off his control._

"_Tahra! Get the Emeralds and run" Tails yelled._

"_What about the others!" she yelled back._

"_No time! Go!" Devlin cried. Tahra quickly gathered the Chaos Emeralds and took off._

_-- -- -- -- -- --_

"_Whose side are you on, anyway?" Tahra asked once they had escaped the Tower. Tails had taken Cream with him, while the others had already begun their rampages. _

"_I was on their side, until Cream here convinced me to change sides. Armeil was absolutely insane. He wanted to purge the world of evil, but concluded that the only way to do that was to destroy all life. Those who followed him would become soulless angels."_

"_You sure don't seem soulless to me," she replied._

"_That's because we are special cases. As leaders of the Judgment, we keep our souls and personalities. Have you heard the legend of the Four Chosen Heroes? Devlin here was one of them. He almost succeeded at his mission, but he was beaten by his friend Armeil, and became his minion._

"_We've lived for over six thousand years, our biological clocks stopped in their current position," Devlin added. "What's more, Armeil was an echidna, and the guardian of the Master Emerald to boot. __And for much of those six thousand years, I was alone..."_

"So I'm really the child of this Devlin angel?" Sonic said.

"Correct…" a voice spoke from behind them. When Sonic turned around, none other but the same Devlin was standing there. Sonic felt like he was staring in a mirror, so close was the resemblance. The only difference was that the hedgehog that stood before him was as white as pure snow, and his eyes were golden."I saved your mother from marauders, and she and I fell in love. It wasn't long before she had you. But I was pursued by Nazo's minions, and they forced me to hunt down your mother and kill her. Angels are forbidden to love."

"But how was I saved?"

"I took you in my arms and went toward the city. But I was soon found and chased down. In my haste, I accidentally dropped you intoa river. I did not believe that you could have survived."

"But I did. I was found by some city dwelling hedgehogs, and they raised me until I was thirteen. Then they disappeared, and I lived on my own until then. "

"When Milos, whom you call Tails, told me that you were alive, I was beside myself, but I was unsure of what to do. But I didn't want to appear to you until the right time. It's sad that the right time came too late. Because of me and the Judgment, you are melded with a dreadful being. I can only hope the Mark of Penitence can suppress him, and that the blessings of Excalibur's forgers can free you."

"Dad…"

"We shall see each other again, my son. The sacred shrine where Excalibur rests is where that shall occur. Goodbye." Devlin took a few steps back, and disappeared. Sonic stood there, unsure of what to do or think.

Tahra approached him. "Sonic…"

But she was immediately caught off guard by Sonic's leaping embrace. He was weeping tears of joy, for a smile was across his face.

"Thank you, Tahra…for finding my family…"


	15. Chapter 15: Wolf Woods

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Author's Note: **The upload system didn't work for me when I tried to put #14 up. That's just so you know why #14 and #15 went up at around the same time. Anyway, I'm going to promise all my…um…fans that the chapters will not be so rushed! They will also be occurring roughly at the same time, so I don't have to jump back and forth between plot lines.

-- -- -- -- -- --

The sky was still tinted blood red the morning Shadow and Espio began their long trip. Shadow could still see black streaks from Amy's tears from their time alone the previous night. Amy had set off with Rouge on her own journey, while Sonic was together with his friends Tails and Knuckles on their adventure.

Espio always stayed several feet ahead of him, both to ensure that they never got lost, and because he still wasn't ready to welcome Shadow back as his friend. The two never ran, only walked, mostly in silence. Shadow did try to talk with the chameleon, but he was given the cold shoulder.

At one point, the ruins of the now-lifeless Westopolis came into view. Most of the inhabitants were humans, and now every single one was dead. Many cars were still on the highway, having broken down or crashed when the souls of their drivers had been suddenly ripped from their bodies. The stench of their corpses rose high into the sky, and the calls of crows and vultures feeding on the flesh of the dead rang through the crimson air. Shadow felt the pangs of guilt rise deeply through his soul. He had not been aware of the destruction that was caused by the actions of Sonic, Amy and himself. Now that he saw it with his own eyes, he too, felt that he didn't belong in his body. He stared out at the dead city, and bowed his head in shame and silently prayed.

_Spirits of the dead…please forgive me for my abominable crimes. I cannot bring back your lives, but I swear, in honor of those who still live, that I will defeat the monsters that made me destroy you._

"Let's go, Shadow," Espio called. "This is no time for daydreaming. What's done is done." Shadow took one more forlorn look at the broken towers, and continued on.

"Sorry…I was just trying to pay my respects," Shadow explained.

"Whatever," Espio said coldly. "We're nearly at the location of the first tribe. Let's go."

"You could at least be more social."

"I'm not exactly thrilled to be on this trip, either. I'd rather that I have not gone with you, but you'll never find the three tribes who forged Masamune without my help. Besides, we ninja prefer to stop only when necessary." Espio broke into a run, and Shadow accelerated as well after a moment.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"There's something about dark woods that always appealed to me, but I can never put my finger on it," Shadow quipped as the two moved through the darkened forest. It was nearly sundown, but the thick foliage made it seem like the darkest hours of the night. The two had to go off a beaten path to search for the first tribe. Thankfully, Shadow's night vision quickly kicked in, and his environment became grayscale, the rod glands in his eyes taking in what little light was available.

"I suppose we aren't so different then…the shadows can be a ninja's best friend. It helps him escape his enemies, or sneak up on them if need be." Suddenly, Espio stopped and raised his hand. The sound of cracking underbrush broke the tranquil silence of the ancient wood. It was obvious that the two were being watched.

"Do you hear that, Shadow?"

"Yeah…I think it's coming from…no, wait…"

A multitude of howls rang in the night, and four grey wolves that stood upright like humans, bounded out of the underbrush, pouncing for the kill. Shadow and Espio dodged the pouncing attacks of the canine warriors. The four quickly sprang up, and stood in the path of the two travelers.

"What are you two doing in our woods at this time of night?" one of the wolves asked with a growl. "I swore I smelled those dirty Black Arms. My sense of smell must be going."

"Greetings, brothers…I am Espio, one of the chameleon tribe. This hedgehog is Shadow…"

"I knew I smelled Black Arms!" the same wolf replied. "That's the same wretched Shadow who wrecked the city not far from here! What's one of our chameleon brothers doing with this scum?"

Espio simply nodded to Shadow, who positioned himself so the wolves could see his upper right arm, where the Mark of Penitence glowed brightly in the dark woods.

"Well, look at that! The hedgehog's paying for what he's done!" another wolf, younger than the presumed leader, gawked. His superior glared at him.

"Do you realize that this is exactly how the Great Prophecy is playing out? It was said that a red-and-black hedgehog with a Mark of Penitence on his arm would appear when the human cities went silent, to claim our tribe's blessing!"

"So, you'll take us to your…um…leader?" Shadow asked.

The leader of the small group nodded. "He is called the Great Alpha. Our tribe is the High Pack, and our leader rules all of our kind. If anyone is to give the blessing of the wolves, it is him. Follow us." He waved his underlings on, and they set off. Shadow and Espio followed the four canines carefully but quickly.

-- -- -- -- -- --

After traveling for about two hours, Shadow and Espio came upon a large clearing. There were about sixteen small make-shift huts. In the center of the clearing was a great campfire, where thirty-one other wolves sat. They varied in age, from young pups to older ones. One of the wolves stood out, as he was the largest and strongest-looking of the group. He had many scars on his face, including one over his left eye. He must have been able to tower over any human. The wolves took notice to the return of their fellows, and the arrival of the newcomers.

The largest wolf rose and approached the four who had led Shadow and Espio to their camp. The four licked their superior's feet as a sign of respect. After delivering the proper greeting, the large wolf turned to the newcomers.

"Who might you two be? What brings you to the camp of the High Pack? We haven't had a hedgehog in our midst for centuries!"

Espio approached the wolf and bowed respectfully. "I bring greetings to you, Great Alpha. I am Espio of the chamelons, and I bring before you is Shadow, the one chosen by fate to wield Masamune. He is on a journey of penitence, for the perfect katana cannot be wielded by one whose hands are stained by the blood of innocents." Shadow presented the mark on his arm with a bit of shame, and the Great Alpha nodded thoughtfully.

"So the prophecy is playing out as the shamans of old predicted. I suppose you seek something to benefit us wolves, Shadow."

"Yes, Great Alpha. I do, if it pleases you..." replied Shadow in a deferential manner.

"Well then, I believe there is something we can give you to do. I invite you to my hut so that we can discuss this matter further." The Alpha turned back toward his hut.

"I am glad that we're off on the right foot with them," Shadow whispered to Espio, "but I'm surprised he's being so trusting, considering what I've done, and I smell like a Black Arms alien."

"The wolves never did like humans much," Espio whispered back. "I suppose that deep down they're happy that the humans are gone."

Shadow and Espio followed the alpha wolf into his hut. When they got there, he was sitting at a low, makeshift stone table with the remains of a meal, eaten raw. The wolf was relaxing on his haunches, much like a normal wolf. He bade Espio and Shadow to sit down.

"I am humbled by your hospitality, Great Alpha," Shadow said, still being respectful as he sat down. "You are being far too kind to one like me."

"Indeed…we wolves are generally wary of outsiders," the Great Alpha commented, "but if Masamune is to be awakened, then its wielder should be treated with respect. But on to the matter of why you came…you see, this forest is being destroyed by the Black Arms at a distressing rate. What's worse, they seem to be doing it for destruction's sake. They are not using the wood or the land at all! At least the humans gave the wood and the land a new purpose."

"Can't you fight back?" Shadow asked. "Your people seem very strong and could easily ambush the Black Arms."

"We have been trying to do that, but their weaponry is far too powerful. A single Black Arms soldier can kill ten of our own warriors in a matter of seconds. We have little protection against their unnatural weapons."

Shadow was undaunted. "So you want me to end this logging operation? I can handle that, no sweat. I've fought these creatures before, and only their best soldiers could last long against me. I even defeated their leader once before."

"You seem confident in your abilities," the alpha wolf replied with a gruff tone. "Even so, I'll have my eldest son, Raiden, accompany you. He's been in many raids in their camp. Raiden, come in here!"

Moments later, another wolf, about three-quarters of the alpha's height, appeared at the entrance of the hut. He looked very much like the alpha wolf, so it was assumed that this was Raiden.

"You called, Father?" Raiden asked. "Oh, these must be the newcomers."

"Raiden, have you heard our conversation?"

"Yes, Father. I heard it all. I'll gladly guide these two through the Black Arm camp. I want to avenge my brothers who fell to them."

"You three will attack in the morning, when the creatures are less active," the alpha stated. "For some odd reason, they are most active at night. We wolves must no longer fight on these monsters' terms!"

"Agreed," Espio said. "But I suppose we should rest."

"Sleep here for now. Tomorrow, we end this attack on our forest home!"

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Hey, Shadow?" Raiden asked as the two were lying outside underneath the stars. The sounds of Black Arm chainsaws and other methods of destroying the local flora were still distant. Shadow looked at Raiden and asked him what was on his mind.

"Tell me about your first encounters with the Black Arms. You must be very strong and brave to defeat not only their best soldiers, but their leader too! You may even be as strong as my father!"

Shadow found great pleasure in the young wolf's eagerness to learn about him. Despite all the evil he had committed, the appeal of his good deeds was far more prevalent. It was a great relief on his soul to hear this, and Shadow flew into a long story about his adventures. Raiden listened intently to his every word, his eyes widening more and more as he neared the end. By the time Shadow began describing his duel against Devil Doom, the young wolf seemed almost hypnotized by his words.

"And there he was…all twenty-five feet of pure, hideous evil, with two heads, fiendish wings and claws sharper than daggers. His weak spot was his one eye, which had the ability to switch heads. I had to chase it down before gouging it with my Chaos Spear technique! He fought well, but I was the victor in the end. After that, I single-handedly teleported the Black Comet into the void of space, and blasted it with the humans' ultimate weapon, the Eclipse Cannon!"

"Wow! You really are strong! He wouldn't stand a chance against you in your…what did you call that?"

"…My Super form, Raiden."

"Yeah! No wonder you hedgehogs are known as the sacred tribe!"

"Sacred tribe?"

"Our legends speak of a time when the humans were no better than the lesser versions of our kind. The hedgehogs ruled supreme. Even our Great Alpha deferred to the nobility of the sacred race. But they were benevolent, and true to the ways of justice."

"What happened?"

"_He_ came."

"Who's 'he'?"

"They say he fell from the sky eons ago, and ended the Age of Dragons. He awoke manymillenia laterat the height of the hedgehogs' rule. In order to save us, many hedgehogs gave up their lives to seal him away. But from the looks of things, he's back."

"You never said who 'he' was."

"Oh, sorry, Shadow. He has many titles: the One True Evil, the Living Cataclysm, and even the Void Lord. But his name is Geddon, and his most common title is the Meteor Parasite. Whatever you call him, he's definitely the source of everything that's wrong in the world."

"Wow…so I guess he's my ultimate enemy here."

"Right…that's why Masamune and the three other Sacred Arms were forged…to combat Geddon and his minions. That's what the legend says anyway."

Shadow looked back toward the stars. "Raiden…legends have an odd way of being based on fact."


	16. Chapter 16: Black Arms Base

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Author's Note**: So far, I've been reviewed by the same people. Seriously, I'd like other people to R&R this. Not that I don't like the "ZOMG j00 r0x0r" reviews, it's just that I need some constructive reviews from other people, that's all.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"I've never met a human, Shadow…" Raiden commented out of the blue as he, Shadow and Espio started off on their little mission "What were they like?"

"Well…I'm not sure how exactly to describe them…" Shadow replied, scratching the back of his head. "I was so used to them, that I never really thought about them. Each one looked very different that others. Their personalities were even more varied. They could be benevolent as, say, your father, or as psychotic as a Black Arms."

"But I heard they were all aggressive, wasteful and generally nasty…that's what our older shamans, say anyway."

"They blame an entire race for the crimes of a small few," Espio answered. "That was the attitude of the angels and the Black Arms, it seems, and that's not a good one to foster."

"Speaking of Black Arms, we're close, so keep it down," Raiden quipped, gradually lowering the volume of his voice. The three approached the edge of the woods as silently as possible. As they did, the grunts and growls of Black Arms became louder and louder. The sound made Shadow's stomach turn a little, it was so unearthly and loathsome. At the edge of the woods, Espio poked his head out and took a quick look around before he returned and told them what he saw.

"So…they're unsuspecting?" Shadow whispered. Espio nodded affirmatively.

"Good. Can you go and scout around more, Espio? You're the only one who can get around here undetected. We need to know how their security is."

"It is what we ninjas do best…be sneaky," Espio replied. "Try to stay out of sight, okay?" Shadow nodded, but Raiden was grumbling a little, disappointed that combat would have to wait.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Invisible to the naked eye, Espio darted through the encampment, staying in cover to ensure that he was not detected. As he wandered silently through the outside, he took notice of the things the soldiers were doing. Most of them were lounging around with their guns on their laps. A few were napping, and he thought he saw two soldiers play some alien version of chess. Out of curiosity, Espio got closer to the pair playing the board game, and sat down, watching them from several feet away.

One of the soldiers moved a large piece next to a different large piece and said something in its own language with a triumphant tone. The other one growled in anger, but did nothing violent. The apparent victor was laughing in the other's face, prodding its head in a way that would universally be annoying. The loser belted his mocker in its chin, sending him stumbling backwards. A few other nearby soldiers started laughing as well, some pointing, others rolling on the ground.

Espio started to see something about the Black Arms he had never thought of before. These aliens were just like any other soldier: bored out of their minds and having a sense of humor, albeit a very sick one. For a moment he didn't want to destroy them. But that attitude soon changed when a larger Black Arms, probably an elite soldier, marched out of the main building, with something horrid in tow: it was a wolf warrior on a leash. It was about the elite soldier's size, but it had similar markings to Shadow, but it also had various welts, warts and a benign tumor or two scattered across its body. The wolf was shoved into the center of the crowd. The larger one made motions with his claws that seemed to indicate orders. The wolf did various tricks like rolling over, playing dead and even licking its master's feet. The soldiers laughed loudly and began tossing things at the wolf like rocks, sticks and dirt as it performed. Its owner did nothing to stop this abuse save tugging on his pet's leash to lead him off. The mutated wolf came dangerously close to Espio, but he was not detected.

_Those monsters are turning wolves into their freakish pets, _Espio thought angrily. _How degrading it must be for them. I better be careful, since they might also serve as guards_. Espio followed the large soldier to the base. It stopped at a large crystal security door, and tied its pet to a nearby metal post. Espio carefully noted which symbols it pressed and in what order. The door opened, and Espio slipped inside.

Espio followed the soldier until he reached another door, which opened automatically. Sitting at what seemed to be a desk was a Black Arm who seemed to look like Black Doom…but it obviously wasn't, as its attire was much less regal. Still, it looked like he was the leader of this operation.

The large soldier stood to attention as the one at the desk rose from its seat. Espio listened to their conversation, trying to carefully discern their emotions, since he could not understand their language. The horned one began pacing a clockwise circle around the large soldier, as if inspecting him. He stopped at the eight o'clock position, and carefully prodded a spot on the soldier's leg, then finished his walk. He said something in apparent approval. The large soldier saluted and left. Espio stayed behind to observe further.

The next to appear was a smaller Black Arms soldier, but its head seemed slightly bigger, as if it had a larger brain. He was carrying a vial of a strange white liquid and presented to the leader. The leader took it, inspected it, and grunted some sort of question. The large-headed one responded in an affirmative tone, at which the leader uncorked the vial and proceeded to drink its entire contents. After a few moments, two curved spikes began to force their way out of the leader's shoulders and back, stopping just above head-level. The leader began to chuckle with satisfaction and presented a strange object to the large-headed Black Arm soldier, who then left. When he was alone again, he turned his head directly in Espio's direction. They seemed to stare in each other's eyes. Espio feared for a moment that he had been spotted, but the leader turned in another direction and began to wriggle his shoulders, trying to adjust his new spikes. After a minute or two of this, the leader got up and lazily grabbed a small Black Arms laser pistol. He aimed for an object that seemed like some sort of target, and hit it dead on. It grunted a little, and then put the pistol down.

Espio decided that he had had enough, so he started toward the door. He forgot about his need to be stealthy, so he heard the leader stand up suddenly and grab his gun when the door opened. Espio ceased all movement, even holding his breath. The leader said something, as if annoyed, and seemed to put down his pistol. It seemed that at the moment Espio opened the door, another soldier had passed by.

_I really need to be more careful, _Espio said to himself as he walked through the door. It had been a very close call. He had been detected nearly twice, and decided not to goof around any more. He had found the leader's room, and that was all he needed.

He slipped through the door when another soldier passed, and returned to his companions.

-- -- -- -- --

"They're doing WHAT?" Raiden exclaimed when he heard Espio mention the mutated wolf. "How could those monsters do that to my brethren? It is surely a fate worse than death!"

"The weirdest thing is just how like the humans they are," Espio replied. "They play games, they relax, and they even take naps. Destruction and chaos is not the only that occupies them, it seems. But it still doesn't make up for what they're doing."

"What do you think they're planning?" Shadow asked. "Did you see anything that could relate to a plot of some sort?"

"Their leader ingested some strange white liquid. It looked like he got more powerful because of it. I fear that this mutagen could be used to make the Black Arms more powerful and difficult to destroy. They have even tested it on the wolves."

"We have to stop them! I'll make sure no more of my brothers gets turned into those fiends!" Raiden growled. "Let's go get them now! It's already morning, and they may be weakened!"

"I agree," Shadow said. "We've wasted enough time waiting. The time to strike is now."

"A frontal assault might work for you; Shadow," Espio interjected, "but I would prefer a less direct plan of attack."

"We came here to wipe out _all_ of these monsters, right?" Shadow responded sternly. Espio nodded. "Then we face them head-on."

"Now we're talking!" Raiden yelped eagerly. Espio sighed in frustration.

"Count me out then…frontal assault is not my forte."

"Then go back the wolf camp and gather their best warriors. We need to attack this place en masse. Raiden and I can keep their attention until you get back."

"Don't die, Shadow," Espio said before speeding off.

"Okay, Raiden…on three…"

On the count of three, Shadow and Raiden burst out of the forest, dashing at full steam. Three guards took notice and began to open fire. Shadow deftly dodged the laser fire, while Raiden had more difficulty. Quickly dispatching the three with a few homing attacks, Shadow grabbed one of the guns, and tossed another to Raiden. The alarm had already gone off, and reinforcements were no doubt on the way.

"How do I use this?" Raiden asked.

"Just push the…ah, forget it, give it back to me!" Raiden tossed the gun back to Shadow, who caught it in his left hand. "Watch your back, and don't give them a chance to shoot you!"

Moments later, about nine more soldiers came out from around the back with their rifles on the ready. Shadow set his sights on the guards and dashed forward with the laser guns blazing. One by one the soldiers fell, until only two remained. Shadow dispatched one, and Raiden leapt on the other, knocking it down and tearing at its flesh.

"Nice job," Shadow complemented the young warrior, "But there's probably a lot more." Shadow noticed that one of the guards had dropped a large purple sword. Raiden noticed it too, and grabbed it.

"This is what I call a sword!" he quipped. "I think I can use this."

"Whatever floats your boat," Shadow replied with a shrug before pressing on.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Just like old times…" Shadow quipped as he finished off an elite soldier. They had been fighting various groups of enemies for about an hour. "These guys haven't changed a bit. I'm surprised that even you managed to beat one. Your father would be proud, Raiden."

"It was nothing. Size can be a weakness," the young wolf replied before turning his attention to the building in front of them. "It looks like this is where they're keeping my fellows. We should free them from their cages."

"I'm afraid we can't, Raiden. They're probably completely under the control of these aliens. Releasing them would only endanger us more than we already have. Let's find the leader and take him out, along with the rest of these monsters. Then we can worry about your brothers-at-arms."

Raiden sighed and followed Shadow. As they rounded a corner, they were stopped by eight elite soldiers, all flanking the one Espio described as the leader. The elites surrounded Shadow and Raiden.

"Damn it…we're trapped!" Shadow said through his teeth.

"So you must be Shadow…" the leader addressed the ebon hedgehog. "…the one who defeated Black Doom and destroyed our home, the Black Comet!"

"You were going to destroy humanity…" Shadow retorted.

"But you and those other two hedgehogs did it for us!" the leader interrupted. "Their energy is very helpful in keeping our operation going…"

"You creep…you're going to pay for what you did!"

"I, personally, did nothing. The blood is on your hands."

"Even if it is, I was manipulated into doing it! That makes you and your despicable kind guilty!"

"You sound so much like Black Doom…you condemn our race for actions our leader took!"

"It's not just about that…you've been turning honorable wolf warriors into your pets, AND you're destroying the woods that they call home!"

"The humans did the same thing. Dogs are descended from wolves, no?"

"I didn't come here to talk of science. I came here to stop this senseless destruction. You're going down, you heartless creep!"

"Let's see how strong you really are!" the leader boomed as he drew a massive sword. "Go, soldiers! Destroy him! Keep the wolf alive!"

"Raiden! Run!" Shadow yelled to his companion, but the wolf didn't make a move.

"I won't run!" the wolf cried, "Not when we're so close!" He valiantly bounded on to an elite soldier, biting its throat and ripping the flesh and veins away, causing it to topple over and crash to the ground. The leader stopped suddenly, startled by this sight. Shadow took the opening and delivered a fierce roundhouse kick to the leader's head, sending him reeling. The elites ceased their assault on Raiden and charged at Shadow.

Suddenly, five more wolves bounded from around the corner, taking out the attacking elites. The alpha came in a second later and knocked away the ones attacking his son.

"Shadow, go after their leader! We shall hold off his guards here!"

Shadow didn't waste any time pursuing the leader, who had taken off in fear. It wasn't long before the two were alone in the space between the woods and the entrance to the base.

"Now, where were we," Shadow chuckled confidently. "Oh, yeah…I was about to tear you limb from limb!" Shadow bounded forward, just over the leader's head and delivered a fierce flip kick to the back of his head. The leader staggered forward, but regained his balanced and began to hover like Black Doom. Small meteors began to form behind him, and they flew toward Shadow, who deftly avoided them.

"…Shame on you for copying your leader!" Shadow taunted. "Besides, he had much better aim! Maybe you need glasses!"

The leader was indignant at this mockery, and rushed at Shadow again. With one final kick, Shadow knocked the wind out of his attacker, sending him crashing into the ground, and releasing his sword. Shadow picked it up and stood over the weakened Black Arm.

"Well…that was easy. Black Doom put up a much better fight that you. But a villain is a villain…and now it's time for you to receive your punishment!"

The leader tried to retort, but Shadow then lopped off the Black Arm's head with its own sword. Purple liquid, probably Black Arm blood, dripped out of the neck for a moment, before the whole body, save the clothing, turned to dust.

_And that's good deed number one…_ Shadow thought to himself with satisfaction as he picked up a little of the dust. He held in his palm, and with a single puff, blew it away.

-- -- -- -- --

There was much celebration back at the wolf camp that afternoon. With the enemy leader dead, its minions had turned and fled in fear, and the wolves' forest was safe. The mutated wolves, free of the mind control, were undergoing treatment by the shamans to reverse their affliction.

"I must thank you Shadow, for all that you've done for us," the Alpha said gratefully as he, Shadow, Espio and Raiden sat in his hut, eating meat. "Not only have those wretched monsters been defeated, but you also gave us the opportunity to avenge our fallen comrades by sending for us. We did not expect it, though."

"A hero has to know when he needs help, I suppose," Shadow said modestly before realizing something. "…How about me getting that blessing, now, Great Alpha? I helped your kind greatly, and that is all I ask for."

The Great Alpha began to chuckle. "You want _that_, eh? Well, I would be more than happy to give it to you right here and now, but tradition does not allow that!"

"What?" Shadow exclaimed. "I have to do something _else_?"

Raiden knew what his father was talking about, and protested. "Father, please don't! He's done enough to prove himself worthy!"

"I'm sorry, Raiden…but our traditions say that he must undergo the Challenge."

"What kind of challenge?" Shadow asked, hoping it wasn't what he though it was.

"It is only that you and I, Shadow…must fight!"

"Father…must you? If Shadow were to fail, the world would be doomed! He cannot get Masamune without our blessing!"

"I already said that I wish did not have to, Raiden…"

"Is this fight to the death?" Espio asked. "I certainly hope it isn't."

"Of course it is not! But you will be filled in on the terms of the Challenge tonight. Rest well, ebon one. You will need all the strength you can muster."


	17. Chapter 17: Swampy Situation

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Author's Note: **Maybe nine straight chapters with the same characters wouldn't be such a good idea after all. I think I'll alternate. If anyone has got a problem they can…never mind. I'm just shifting focus every chapter or two. And if these one seemed a little rushed, I'm sorry.

-- -- -- -- --

Most of the day that Amy and Rouge had traveled along the swampy road was in silence. Their glances didn't even meet. It was as if they were not traveling with each other at all. They set up separate camps, had separate fires and had separate meals.

Amy wondered where it all went wrong…one day she was living happily and with few cares. The next thing she knows, she and all of her friends are tossed into a conspiracy that spanned from heaven to earth and back. She had lost control of her own body twice in the last few months, and now an entire species, one she had grown to like, had been wiped off the face of the Earth. The sky was red with the blood of billions, constantly reminding her of the genocide she had unwillingly engaged in. She knew all too well about why Rouge didn't even look at her.

Amy's laments were interrupted by a piercing screech coming from Rouge's camp, followed by the sounds of joyful ribbit sounds, then a splash, and finally through-the-teeth cursing. Amy finally summoned courage to talk to Rouge about what just happened. Of course, Rouge was ranting to herself about what happened.

"Stupid toad…how DARE he go and steal MY lucky ring," she ranted. Amy, still fully clothed, dove right past Rouge and into the murky swamp water, now hoping that getting the bat's ring back would at least put them back on speaking terms with each other.

As she looked around, Amy suddenly noticed a glint of gold and diamonds several feet from her. The glint disappeared, and Amy swam after it. When she surfaced, the thief came into her view: it was a toad, and a shabbily dressed one at that. He looked around and then hopped off into the woods. Amy got out of the water, shook herself off, and followed the avaricious amphibian.

-- -- -- -- --

"It's mine! All mine!" Ribik chortled joyfully as he clutched the bat's ring in his hands. "This is surely going to pay off my debt to that weasel!" The toad continued his hopping through the woods, unaware of the pink hedgehog following his every move.

He stopped in a small clearing under a circle of trees, and glanced around. As he continued hopping along confidently, Amy, seemingly out of nowhere, stopped him. She was still wet from her swim, and was looking at the thief very sternly. The look in her eyes seemed to make the toad uneasy, despite the fact that he was bigger than her.

"W-what do you want?" the toad asked nervously. Amy rolled her eyes, as if she thought the toad was trying to fast-talk his way out of this situation.

"You know very well what I want," Amy replied angrily. "…My friend's ring! You stole it from her, you thief."

"Look, kid…I can explain," Ribik said even more fearfully. He couldn't understand why he was afraid of this hedgehog girl, but he was. Judging from how fast he was caught, there was no way he could escape with the ring now.

"Okay then, start explaining."

"Well, to make a long story short, I've got a big debt to pay off to this weasel guy. He said that if I stole the ring from a certain white female bat and gave it to him, then he'd annul all of my debts. Your friend fit the description, and she had a valuable-looking ring, so I figured she was the one!"

Amy's expression softened a little when she heard the toad's explanation. The crime he had committed was of similar nature to her crimes…he was forced to do it. The poor fellow was desperate enough to stoop to thievery to get out of debt.

"I'll go with your story. Just hand over the ring and I'll let you go. Maybe I can even convince this debtor of yours let you off. By the way, what's your name, toad?"

"Just call me Ribik. How about you, kid?"

"Amy. Amy Rose. But let's save the idle chatter for when you get the ring back to my friend. There's still enough light to get back. Come on."

-- -- -- -- --

With Ribik concealing himself nearby, Amy went up to Rouge, who was gloomily fixing herself dinner. With a bit of apprehension she went up to Rouge's small campfire. The bat glanced at her, but said nothing as she started eating a small potato that she had cooked over the fire.

"Rouge?" Amy asked timidly.

"You're back. What was that all about?" Rouge replied coldly.

"I found the creep who stole your lucky ring. I convinced him into giving it back."

Rouge raised one eyebrow. "Oh, really…then where's my ring?" At that moment, Ribik hopped out of the woods nervously, clutching the ring in his hands. He opened his hands to reveal the ring, safe and sound. Rouge snatched it from his hands.

"So you're the guy who had the nerve to steal my lucky ring."

"I'm sorry miss, but I had no choice. I'm just a poor toad down on his luck. I'm neck-high in debt…to a weasel. That ring was my ticket out of debt."

"A weasel, huh?" Rouge replied thoughtfully. "Tell me…what did he look like?"

"He was purple…yeah, purple. He wears this strange hat…I've seen pictures of humans wearing it. He carries a gun around a lot, too. Yeah. I think his name was…"

"Nack…I thought so." Rouge sighed.

"You know Mister Nack?" Ribik said with surprise. "He spoke of you in a very affectionate way. It sounded like you two were really good friends, yet you seem to hate him."

"I suppose I better explain to you both…I was just a bat without a future, lost in the big streets, without hope. All I had was my looks and grace. But where I came from…it only led to a life of prostitution. Nack saved me from all that, when he recognized my potential. He took me under his wing, taught me how to pull off heists. He had me train in all sorts of acrobatics. He taught me how to lie, how to cheat, how to steal, all without getting caught by the law. We became fast friends, and I suppose we could have been so much more…"

"What happened, Rouge?" Amy asked. "It must have been something big."

"It was the biggest heist we could think of…we were going after a Chaos Emerald. We had it all planned out…it would have made Nack and I filthy rich. The night we would have pulled the heist, I noticed by covert government agents who were after Nack. They made me an offer: in exchange for blowing the heist, they would commute my sentence and offer me a job working for them. They had also convinced me that Nack was the reason my entire neighborhood was poor. I believed the whole nine yards of it."

"What happened to you and Nack?" Ribik asked.

"I spent only three nights in jail before I was freed…Nack was supposed to be in for twenty years. But then I read five days after my release that he had escaped. We saw each other in secret, and he begged me to come back to him. I had told him that I realized that crime wasn't my path of choice. But he gave me the ring, and promised that the ring would be stolen before we would meet again. That was six years ago."

"Maybe you should go and see him," Amy suggested.

"What!" Rouge exclaimed, "Are you out of your mind? I don't want to have any more deals with him! He is, and will always be, a good-for-nothing crook. I hate him."

"You spoke so highly of him…" Ribik said, confused. "Why do you hate him? You wouldn't be where you are now without him…even if he is a crook."

"You wouldn't believe what he tried to do to me!" Rouge ranted. "I couldn't do anything normal without his shadow following me everywhere I went! Every guy I became friendly with…he ran them out of the city! He made me do the most humiliating things!" Amy, who had, only moments ago felt sympathy for Nack, held the same contempt for him Rouge did.

"If Nack is really as bad as you say, then he deserves a good thrashing…Ribik…does Nack have any other individuals in debt to him?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Ribik answered with a shrug. "He's a lone wolf as far as I can tell. Or in this case, weasel. Wolves are much more honorable, so I've heard."

"Well, let's find Nack and give him a piece of our minds," Amy said in a decisive tone. "I'm sure he'll listen to you, Rouge. But let's head to the so-called toad capital. Tails said it was farther along this road."

-- -- -- -- --

"Oh my…" Ribik gasped. The three arrived at the site of the city to find it under the guard of the Black Arms. "What happened? The whole town is…"

"Damn them…" Rouge growled. "The minions of Judgment beat us here!"

"Actually, this is pretty convenient. If the leader of the toads is alive, then beating all these Black Arms will allow us to get their blessing." Rouge gave a look of disappointed shock in reaction to Amy's surprising complacency. Amy realized that what she said came out in a bad way.

"What I mean is…we can drive out these monsters…I'm not saying that this is a good thing! But anyway, we need a plan to get in and take out their leader."

"They have the place pretty well-covered," Rouge said as she looked around at this sight. "We'd have to go in straight through the front gates, but it would be suicidal to do so. We can't take them all on. We need more muscle. Let's get some distance, so they don't see us."

The three started back, but suddenly, the sound of a Black Arms battle cry rang through the musty air, followed by laser fire whizzing over their heads. Speeding toward the three were about nine Black Arms soldiers on strange hovering disks.

"Great…we've been found out!" Amy said, "How are we gonna beat them all?"

As the Black Arms soldiers came close, the loud rat-a-tat-tat of a submachine gun issued forth, and a rain of bullets hit all of the soldiers, killing four and wounding the others, and knocking them off their disks and straight into the mud. A large yellow hover bike zipped by, piloted by a purple weasel, armed with submachine guns akimbo, and topped with a brown fedora. The bike did a one-eighty before the weasel fired again, finishing the remaining soldiers.

"You three follow me," the weasel said. "This place ain't safe for two lovely ladies!" The weasel sped off into the woods. With much apprehension, the three followed the hover bike.

"Was that Nack?" Amy asked Rouge as they ran.

"That was him, alright," Rouge replied. "I don't think we should be following him."

"Do we have a choice?" Amy said. Rouge shrugged, and they continued running.

-- -- -- -- --

"My little Rougey!" Nack said with glee when the three had reached the place where the bike had been parked. "Oh, you don't know how hard it's been without you, toots! C'mere and give your Nacky a hug! It's the least you can do for me saving your life."

"I'll pass…" Rouge replied contemptuously. "But thanks for saving us, I guess."

The weasel took off his fedora and ran one of his hands across his head. "Well, you're welcome. And Ribik…buddy…I think your debt has been annulled ten times over."

"Thank you, Mister Nack…you don't know how great it feels!"

"Yeah sure, whatever," the weasel said dismissively before turning back to Rouge. "Soooooo, my voluptuous little Rougey…what's being happening with you for the past six years?"

"I've found new friends…" Rouge replied, "Better friends than you ever were!"

"Is that so?" Nack replied. "I thought you and I were pretty good friends."

"What kind of friend keeps someone from making other friends?" Amy interjected angrily. "You wouldn't let anyone else have any good relationship with her!"

Nack seemed surprised at this. "I was only looking out for her! She was young…she didn't know any better!"

"What about all the humiliating things you made her do?"

"Some of my kind can be so dirty. I may be a crook…but I don't fling sex around! But what choice did I have? I wasn't high up on the ladder! Those humans…they made me so sick sometimes. I'm glad they're all dead! They got what they deserved!"

"You sound a lot like someone working for the Judgment…" Rouge said suspiciously. "You don't happen to be working with them, are you?"

"…Of course not! They're just as bad as the humans, if not worse! They kill all of my clients, steal all of my resources…and without the humans, most of my wealth is worthless now! I hate 'em as much as I like money…which is a lot."

"You may be fighting against the big enemy," Amy said, "but you're still a crook."

Nack chuckled. "Maybe so, but I've heard from them that you're the one who helped kill all the humans, hedgehog…that makes you even worse. I just engage in thievery…you're responsible for large-scale genocide."

Amy couldn't bring herself to retort this statement. The urge to walk up to Nack and snap him in half surged into her mind, but she knew it wouldn't be right. She clenched her fists.

"Yeah…I've heard about it…people running in fear, you and two other hedgehogs blasting some of them to bits, eating others whole….man, what a horror story! It was all over the news…but the weirdest part is that all the remaining humans dropped dead, all at once. It's really weird."

"Nack…she's heard enough." Rouge interrupted. "Do you think you could help us get into the Black Arms base?"

"Yeah…I could lend a hand, I suppose. But I ain't doing it just because saving the world gives me a warm fuzzy feeling and whatnot…I have my own reasons. But maybe I can change my mind if…"

"Not in a million years, Nack," Rouge answered before the weasel could finish.

"Damn it," the weasel muttered.


	18. Chapter 18: Eclipse's Arrival

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Author's Note**: The link to my forum (on this site) apparently didn't work in one chapter. You'll have to do it via my profile. But yes, there is a forum for this story up and running. And one of the next parts may be borderline M-rating, but I really wanted to do it.

-- -- -- -- -- --

**(Five Days Earlier)**

"Where…am I?" the dripping wet hedgehog groaned as he came out of his capsule. One moment he didn't exist…the next he did. Moments ago he was an ethereal mist of negative emotions, hideous desires and contemplations of madness. Now he had been given form.

"It seems the project was a success," Nazo said in a satisfied manner. "It's amazing what you can do with negative energy…" He strode leisurely over to his creation, which was still getting his footing. It was an exact clone of Shadow…in body at least. In mind it was more like the Shadow who thought that Maria wanted revenge.

"Who the hell are you?" the false Shadow asked when he saw Nazo disperse the mist, "And what am I doing here? I want some answers, little boy blue!"

Nazo chuckled. "…Just as I had hoped. I am Nazo, your creator and master. You are an experiment of mine, in combining the negative aspects of an individual and threading them with the energy from black holes to bring life."

"Okay…so you made me. What I want to know is why."

"You were formed from the darkness within a hedgehog named Shadow. Your mission is simple: destroy him and take the one he loves for yourself. The rest is up to you."

"Amy…is that her name? I was hoping I would get to do that! She's so damn hot! I can't wait to get busy with her…yeah!"

Nazo chuckled again. He had been even more successful than he had first anticipated. He had never realized just how strong the inner darkness of Shadow was, that all these desires, thoughts and emotions were forced down into the darkest corners of his mind. Nazo's own twisted consciousness contemplated the sheer debauchery this Shadow clone would commit, and it amused him so.

"But, to ensure that he knows, and that you know who you are…you need a different name…Light wouldn't work here…it's too clichéd. You're an independently thinking being, minion…name yourself."

The Shadow clone was a little surprised. Nazo was being very open-handed with him…having the opportunity to determine one's own identity was not something that happened often. His mind dug through possible ideas, until he found one that seemed suitable.

"I'm thinking Eclipse is a good name," the Shadow clone finally decided. "I shall take over Shadow's life, like an eclipse cuts off the light of the sun! Eclipse is who I am! And don't you forget it, blue-boy!"

"Very well then, Eclipse," Nazo replied, "Go forth and do as I have ordered. And do cause as much suffering as you can while you're at it."

"Cause suffering is what I like to do, master," Eclipse answered. "Toodles, blue-boy!" Eclipse dashed out of the room. Moments later, two angels came careening down the hallway, smashing into the wall nearby. Nazo cackled victoriously at the sight.

-- -- -- -- -- --

**(Back to the Story)**

"I want this one!" Amy said as she spotted the gun of her choice, pointing to it like a child who wanted a toy. It was a large gun that would have fit well on a jeep or a tank. It was least fifty percent longer than Amy was tall, and almost twice as heavy as she was.

"Wow…I didn't know you liked big guns so much, Amy." Rouge said with a bit of concern in her voice. "It doesn't seem to be like you. I'm surprised you even want a gun at all."

Amy pulled the weapon off the wall and hefted it over her shoulder with surprisingly little effort. Her surprising strength had not been suppressed by the Mark of Penitence, since it was a natural part of her enhanced genetic make-up.

"Actually, I think you're right," Amy replied when she realized her misguided decision. "I don't think I should be using them at all. My body is a weapon by itself. I don't need this thing!" She casually tossed the weapon aside, which crashed to the floor.

"Hey! Be careful with that! It's very delicate, and one of a kind!" Nack yelled when he heard the crash. "I hope you didn't break it!"

"The gun's fine, Nack," Amy called back. "I think I'm going to go unarmed."

"It better be…" the weasel replied as he came in. Nack had some sort of automatic rifle slung over his shoulder, and a pair of semi-automatic pistols in holsters on his hips, cowboy-style.

"How about this get-up?" he said, presenting himself to Amy and Rouge.

Amy couldn't help but giggle, while Rouge rolled her eyes.

"I don't care…I'm going with this. Tomorrow, we're gonna bring those Black Arms down! They're probably waiting for us to reappear, and would catch us if we tried to attack them now."

And so they waited, unaware of a surprising event that transpired within the walls of the base…

-- -- -- -- --

_Useless Black Arms, _Eclipse sighed as he glanced at a Black Arms corpse, _it's hard to believe that Lord Nazo trusts these creatures_. _They could barely control those inferior amphibians. But now they're serving me completely. _Eclipse had appeared in the swamp area, where he sensed that Amy was. He figured that she would come to the city to free the toads from the Black Arms, so he decided to do the work for her. That way, they would meet as soon as possible. After all, he wanted the girl alive.

He decided to make the toads slave for him. He especially liked to make the nobility do the hardest work. That would show them how inferior they were. The ancient caste system of the old races was known to Eclipse: hedgehogs, kitsune, and echidnas were at the top, while weasels, toads and crocodiles were at the bottom, the weasel being the most loathed. It was a system that had held even before the coming of the Meteor Parasite. It was ironic that an inferior caste could be associated with one of the four Sacred Arms.

But having an entire race under your heel was a pretty good situation for the anti-Shadow: their numbers were relatively few, having been driven away or slaughtered by the Black Arms. Those that remained, including the so-called High Toad were immediately set to do manual labor. The High Toad was forced to massage Eclipse's feet.

"Rub harder, wart-face! And make sure you get between my toes!" he ordered. The High Toad did so with great contempt, muttering curses under his breath. It was bad enough for his city that they were overtaken by the wretched Black Arms, but now he was forced to stoop before a hedgehog that seemed to show even less mercy, and took great pride in demeaning his kind. As Eclipse sat back and enjoyed his treatment, he suddenly sensed something…his eyes dilated when he realized who it was. He kicked the High Toad away from him and stood up.

"Get out of my way, swamp-hopper; I have business to attend to…go and…oh, clean up my last snack. If it isn't done by the time I get back, I'll be having royal frog legs for dinner!"

Eclipse grabbed his shoes from nearby, and slipped them on while on the run. As he made his way out, he made it a point to push down every toad that got in his way, just to see the look on their face when they saw him.

He mounted the city wall and peered down. Moving slowly towards the city were four individuals: a bat, a weasel, a toad…and Amy. It was just as he had hoped. He decided to call to the group.

"Greetings, travelers…welcome to my city!" he called sardonically. Amy was the first to look up, and her expression turned to shocked confusion.

_Shadow…no…it can't be him…but his energy is so similar…could it be a copy? _Amy wondered. Eclipse lept from the top of the city walls, landing just at the edge of the swamp, about ten yards from the four individuals.

"Who are you, and why are you impersonating Shadow?" Amy demanded.

"Impersonating him? That's not entirely true," Eclipse replied. "I am Shadow, but at the same time, I am someone else entirely. My name is Eclipse, and I have destroyed the Black Arms here. Now the toads serve me and me alone."

Nack raised one of his pistols and pointed it at Eclipse. "You ain't gonna make no toads be your toadies! We're gonna beat you good."

"You, a dirt-low weasel, dare address a hedgehog, a member of the sacred race, that way?" Eclipse said in mocking surprise. "You inferiors are getting awfully rowdy these days. Maybe I need to remind you of the pecking order!" Eclipse strode toward Nack threateningly. The weasel opened fire, but the bullets bounced off of Eclipse as if they were only raindrops. Amy tried to intervene by leaping in front of the Shadow copy.

Eclipse had hoped she would do this all along. He grabbed her by the arm and used Chaos Control to teleport away, right before the eyes of the other three, leaving them confused and shocked.

-- -- -- -- -- --

The two hedgehogs reappeared some distance away, in a clearing in the forest surrounding the swamp. Eclipse pushed Amy a few feet away, into the middle of the grassy area.

"What was that all about?" Amy said as she dusted herself off.

"Oh, Amy…you're so beautiful when you're angry."

If that came from Shadow, Amy would have taken it as a complement, but this Eclipse character was not Shadow. The look in the fake's eyes made Amy extremely uncomfortable.

"Heck, you're beautiful however you feel, baby…that's why I'm nuts for you…"

"We just met…and you're not the one who I love, if that's what you believe."

Eclipse began to approach Amy. "That's where you're wrong. I am Shadow…I am all the emotions that he hides from you. I am his darkness made real. All that you see before you is what he conceals from you."

Amy, meanwhile, was beginning to back away. "What do you mean?"

"Do you have any idea how much he feels for you?"

"He loves me…and that's all that matters."

Eclipse's approach was getting more aggressive. "Love is an understatement. You rile him up, you ignite his inner fire! He can't get enough of you! And that means I can't get enough of you." Eclipse was now within half-an-arm's reach of Amy, and began to reach for her shirt. He received a fierce punch to his jaw, which staggered him a little.

"Heh…you're a fighter, eh? You realize that fighting me only makes me want you more!" Eclipse rushed in again and successfully managed to grab Amy's shirt this time. With an insane look and a cackle, he proceeded to rip the shirt off, exposing Amy's flesh, and her chest covered only by a bra. She managed to slip out of his reach, and it was obvious what Eclipse was trying to do.

"Yeah…that's the stuff…Shadow doesn't know what he's missing!" Eclipse howled. "Just a little more and you'll be all mine!" The fake Shadow made a mad dash for the exposed Amy, but was stopped by a kick to his face, which sent him flying,

"Get away from me, you beast!" Amy cried before taking off into the woods. As she ran, she started wondering about Shadow. If this creep was her love's inner feelings…was she safe with him? She could hear Eclipse pursuing her, his loud cackle of lust sounding through the forest.

"Stop running and give yourself to me, Amy!" Eclipse roared at the top of his lungs. "You would do it for Shadow, wouldn't you!" Amy dared not look back, and decided to keep running.

Unfortunately, Amy's escape was stopped by the edge of a steep and deep gorge. Eclipse soon came out and stopped several feet away from her. He looked at her up and down. She was sweating profusely, and the single concealment of his ultimate visual desire was beginning to slip.

"Heh…you can't run from me, my little darling," Eclipse chuckled. "You WILL surrender your flesh to me…and I WILL have my satisfaction! There is no resisting it. COME TO DADDY, BABY!"

Eclipse made a final rush toward Amy. In his blind lust, he did not anticipate Amy's next move. She managed to jump over him, clearing his head level, and kick him in the head as she went over. He stumbled forward more, and went over the cliff.

Amy panted heavily, and listened. Instead of a splat sound, she heard a poof…as if her attacker had disappeared in a cloud of smoke. She pulled the strap of her bra back onto her shoulder, and set off back into the woods, to find her friends. Eclipse had been defeated not by force, but by his own uncontrolled lust for her. But she had a feeling that Eclipse would return to try and claim her again. Her mind also turned back to Shadow, and to herself.

_Does Shadow really desire me that much? I know he loves me…but how can I trust him when I find out that he wants to do things to me? I can only hope he can restrain them. He'll have me when I'm ready…no sooner._


	19. Chapter 19: Underground City

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Author's Note: **For some reason, I like doing chapters with Amy. She's my favorite character, even more than Shadow! Why? I wish I knew. Anyway, next chapter! Sorry, Amy fans, but I have to do a Sonic chapter after this one.

-- -- -- -- --

_Man, how am I supposed to get out of this forest?_ Amy said to herself._ I really wish I knew where I was. _She had been wandering the forest for hours on end, with no sign of an exit. It felt like she was getting further and further from where she wanted to be, but she had no idea where to go.

Despite her enhanced endurance, her wandering eventually tired her out, and she sat down in a small covered clearing in the woods to rest, leaning her back against a tree, and staring up at the forest canopy. It was quiet, and Amy found herself enjoying the moist breeze on her exposed skin. A feeling of peace came over her, and seemingly without knowing it, she entered a meditative trance, much like her sensei back in the martial arts class.

As Amy sat there, she could see, through her mind's eye, the flow of cosmic energy. It was like a river of light blue mist, slowly flowing in midair, snaking its way through the trees. The surroundings had turned into grayscale, save the river of energy. But there was something else in addition to the river…there were some wisps of energy that seemed like upright walking creatures…the term humanoid could apply, but no humans were left. And the shapes appeared to be moving.

As she watched, the two blots of mist seemed to sway up and down, and Amy could make out whispers coming from each one. She could sense emanations of anger and fear. One blot seemed to strike the other, sending it to the floor. The attacker then began to sit on top of its victim. Disturbed at her vision, Amy forced herself out of the trance before the spectacle could finish.

_That was weird, _Amy thought. _I could have sworn that I saw something that happened here…did I witness a crime? _Suddenly, she hit on an idea.

With a bit of effort, Amy reentered her trance. The blots of energy were gone, and Amy began to look around. Through the river of mist, she could make out a long straight line passing by several feet southeast. It had a hint of a different sort of energy in it too…a purplish sort of energy.

Amy came out of her trance, confident with the success of her idea. The line, she had determined, was the path Eclipse took with Chaos Control, and it would be her way out. But she decided not to…not yet anyway. Despite what she saw, the clearing seemed far too peaceful just to leave without being enjoyed. She leaned back again, and started dozing off.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Several hours later, she was awoken by a deep-toned battle cry coming from a short distance away, and then a piercing screech. A few moments later, a squishing sound and another screech issued forth. Amy ran in the direction of the sound. When she arrived at the source of the racket, she found a strange site. There was a mole armed with a heavy-looking hammer, surrounded by four slimy orange worms roughly four feet long. The mole seemed to notice her.

"Get outta here, missy! The battlefield's no place for a pretty young girl like yerself!"

Amy decided not to heed the mole's advice, and sprang upon one of the worms. With a powerful uppercut, she sent the worm closest to her flying. The mole seemed surprised at this. He delivered another blow with his hammer to one of the worms, sending it reeling. The other two worms, seeing their companions beaten, squirmed away.

"You fight well, missy. Might I ask you who ya are, and what yer doing nearly naked from the waist up? It ain't proper fer one of the sacred race."

Amy realized this, and blushed. "Oh…I'm sorry. I forgot. My name's Amy."

"Well then, Amy…I'm glad you came to my rescue. I might have been worm food if it wasn't fer you. Anyway, the name's Sven Alebasher, Hammerer of the Grand Mole's elite forces. It's a pleasure to be graced by such a beauty." Sven's eyes, as they took in her appearance, fell upon the glowing Mark of Penitence on her arm.

"By the Great Digger, there's a Mark of Penitence on ya! You must be Mjolnir's new wielder! Talk about a small world!"

"Um…yeah…it's a funny story, really. But right now, could you lend me a shirt…you just made me feel a bit indecent."

Sven chuckled heartily. "Don't worry…most of our women dress the way ya are right now. You look fine. But my liege would be elated to meet the young hedgehog lady who's finally going to help us."

"I'd be glad to help, but I need to find my friends first. They're back at the toad city, and I need to get back together with them."

"Once we get to Molelondon, we'll have one of the Grand Mole's messengers let them know that you're in our city. No need worrin' yer little head. Now come on, we're not far from where I came out of the ground."

Amy seemed shocked. "Out of…the ground?"

Sven raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Don'tcha know that we moles live underground?"

Amy "Well, yeah…but I'm not a fan of tunnels. Do you know of an aboveground route to your home?"

"Goin' underground's a lot quicker and safer. Besides, you won't need to do any crawlin'… though you might be a little cramped, judging by yer size."  
"You're the digging expert…okay, I'll follow you."

"Yer in good hands, Amy."

-- -- -- -- --

"How much longer do we have to go, Sven…are you sure this is the right way?" Amy groaned as she continued to follow Sven through the long tunnel. She had to lower her head to avoid hitting the ceiling of the passage, and her neck was beginning to cramp.

"We're close," Sven replied before taking a deep sniff. "Aye, I can already smell the wonderful ale. I love a good drink, and I haven't had one all day. I can't seem to go a day without a drink. Oh, look…we're here!"

As Amy crawled out of the tunnel, she beheld a grand spectacle: towers of rock reaching at least forty feet high reached up to the massive chamber's ceiling. The towers reminded Amy of the skyscrapers of Westopolis, but simpler in design. There weren't many moles out and about, and most of them were dressed in a similar manner to Sven.

"Is it always like this, Sven?" Amy asked. "There are a lot of guards around."

"Y'know those worm creatures we trounced?" Sven asked her in a grim tone. "Well, there's an army of them diggin' their way toward the city. We've been blocking their progress, but it's only delaying the inevitable. It's only a matter of time before they break through our defenses.

"Can't you fight back? There can't be _that _many."

"Oh, there are a _lot _of them, missie. And besides, most of the best soldiers went down blocking the foul army's progress. But now that you're here, there may be some hope left for us! Before we meet the Grand Mole, how about I introduce you to me wife?"

"Um…sure, I guess."

"Great then, follow me!"

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Helga! I'm home!" Sven yelled as he opened the door to his modest, but comfortable home. Moments later, a short, chubby, motherly-looking mole came waddling in. She seemed very relieved that Sven had come home, and rushed to embrace her husband.

"Oh, Sven, you had me so worried!" the mole, who was obviously Helga, "When you hadn't come back for four days, I was sure you were dead! But now I see you're alive!" After hugging her husband, she turned to attention to Amy.

"Oh, and who might this young lady be? Looks like a hedgehog…we don't get those down here every day. What's your name, missy?"

"My name's Amy. I don't exactly mean to brag, but Sven's alive because of me." When Helga gave a look of mistrusting surprised, Sven confirmed Amy's statement.

"This young lady ain't lyin'…take a good look on 'er right arm…"

Helga looked there, and as Sven said, the Mark of Penitence was there, glowing as always.

"Yep…that's Mjolnir's new wielder alright…but this is a Mark of _Penitence_…she must have something really awful to have to go through with the journey."

Amy bowed her head and turned away in shame. "I suppose aiding in the annihilation of an entire species qualifies…as horrible…it was the humans to be exact. I'd do anything to get this rune off my arm and my sins off my mind."

Sven seemed a tad surprised. "Yes…I suppose that is somethin' drastic. I'm not sure what to think right now. But what matters now is that all the wrongs will hopefully be righted."

Amy's eyes glanced around, and noticed a young mole, a male close to puberty, moping in a corner of the room. He wasn't doing much, just standing there watching them. She figured that this individual was Sven's son…but he never mentioned him. It could have been a lapse of memory, so Amy discarded any notion of him being rejected or anything.

"So…is there anything I can use to…um…look decent? Since I'm gonna stand before the lord of all moles and all." Amy asked.

"I suppose I could lend ya one of my kurpans," Helga said.

"Kurpans?" Amy asked.

"See this thing I'm wearing on my chest?"

"Oh…that. Sure, that would be great!"

-- -- -- -- -- --

"There it is, Amy…the Grand Mole's mansion." Sven said proudly as he led Amy toward a massive stone house, pointing to it. "It's the crown jewel home of the entire mole nation! Still gives me chills of pride lookin' at it! Just follow me." The two went up the chiseled stone stairs to the mansion, where they were immediately stopped by two heavily-armored guards.

"Well, well, what brings the town drunk doing here?" one of the guards said mockingly to Sven.

"…Town drunk?" Amy exclaimed. "What are you two talking about? This is one of the Grand Mole's Elites! You should show some respect for him."

"He WAS one of the Grand Mole's Elites…now he's just a drunken fool!" the same guard answered in the same derogatory tone. "I dunno what a member of the sacred race is doing with a buffoon like him."

"If you two must know," Sven responded to this in an annoyed tone, "yer speaking to Mjolnir's new wielder, ya are! Now let us through!"

Amy showedthe runeto the guards, who immediately jumped in surprise. They had not expected the new wielder of Mjolnir to come at all, let alone with the town drunk, nor had they expected Mjolnir to pick a girl. But they were not about to deny the will of their gods. One of the guards humbly made haste to the door to notify the Grand Mole of their arrival. While they waited, Amy had to ask Sven about this business about him being the town drunk.

"Sven…is it true? How much alchoholdo you drink per day?"

"That's of no concern of yours, missy," Sven replied in a cold tone that seemed very unlike him.

Amy decided to keep quiet about the matter for the moment,and she couldn't help but think about herself.

_Why do I find myself concerned with the habits of complete strangers…how do I know I can even trust this guy? For all I know,he could be leading me into a trap…I better stay on guard._

-- -- -- -- --

"I'm really concerned about Amy…" Rouge sighed as she paced back and forth in the small room at the town's Inn that was lent to her in the Toad City. "She hasn't been back for hours. I hate to think about what happened to her. I didn't like the look of that Eclipse guy…"

"She'll be fine, Rougey," Nack commented reassuringly. "I know a strong girl when I see one, and your friend is a strong girl! I'm sure she just got lost or something. She'll turn up soon."

"On another topic…I was kinda wondering…what's with all this stuff about a caste system?"

"Meh…a long time ago, some snobbish hedgehogs got the crazy notion that for some reason that hedgehogs were better than everyone else, just because they were who they were. They organized all the races into castes. Legend has it that it just so happened that a weasel had annoyed them that day, so they put weasels on the bottom, out of spite; And for the last six or so millennia, my kind has been persecuted by thoseof higher castes."

Rouge huffed at the thought. "I may have been an agent for the human establishment, but I must say that it's a stupid system. But just out of curiousity, how high are bats on the caste ladder?"

"They're pretty high, actually. Don't go thinking you're better than me, Rouge, just because you're a bat and I'm a weasel."

"Of course I wouldn't…I may be a rogue, but I'm no bigot…"


	20. Chapter 20: Road to the Citadel

**Chapter Twenty**

**Author's Note**: I'd like to take them time to thank all of the people in my small, but growing fan base for sticking with me throughout my short career. You've made me feel good about how I write, and I will continue to write. I still seek character art from the fans, for I am not completely sure how some of them, especially my originals, should look. My vision of them is still kind of vague.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"You know what's weird?" Sonic asked the group. "The weather is so…strange. There's no snow on the ground, and the air is completely lukewarm. Yet it's smack dab in the middle of February. Did the Judgment start messing with the weather, too?"

"Yes...unfortunately, the Judgment has ceased all changes in weather," Tails answered. "The flow of the seasons has literally ground to a halt. Both side of the Earth are getting equal sunlight all the time. How they're doing, even I can't figure out. But without rain, plants will die, and then things will go from there."

"Then we have to hurry," Tahra responded. Since she had no need to journey by herself, she decided to tag along with Sonic, Tails and Knuckles. "How much farther is it to the echidna city, Knuckles?"

Knuckles glanced around, and noticed a spire poking out of a mountainside in the distance. That was the Emerald Citadel, home to the lords of his race. He was uneasy about going back to that place, but preferred to avoid talking about it.

"It's about thirteen miles to the base of the mountain; then we'll have to climb about two-thousand feet. The place we have to go is attached to the mountainside."

"Man, I could just zip through this forest. Why am I even walking when I could run? I'm the fastest thing alive, dang it!"

"Because then the plot wouldn't be as interesting…" Tails replied.

"Huh?"

"Oh, never mind. I was thinking out loud." Before the others could make sense of Tails' seemingly random statement, a piercing scream of terror issued forth from the forest. It sounded like it came from a young boy.

Sonic seemed eager to answer this implicit call for help, and started toward the forest. "Looks like it's time to start things off…stay here, guys…I'll handle this!"

-- -- -- -- --

"C'mon, kiddo…let's go," one of the angel ruffians said to the cowering hedgehog child. "The master wants you alive, so I'm not gonna hurt you."

"I'm never going back to him!" the child answered.

"Face it…the kid's not going to come willingly," another angel sighed. "We just have to take him by force." As the angel advanced toward the scared kid, he was suddenly hit by a blue ball speeding at high speeds. The ball uncurled to show Sonic.

"Hey, you two nitwits…leave this kid alone!"

"Well, well, if it ain't Lord Leawdak's vessel!" the first angel chuckled. "How are you still moving on your own?"

"That's for me to know, and for you NOT to find out. Get going before I beat the daylights out of you! I can do that, you know."

"Oh…someone's a big man! Well, we'll clobber you good, Mr. Hero!" The angel raised his sword to attack Sonic, but got a homing attack to the face. Seeing that he was outmatched, he teleported far away. The angel Sonic had attacked initially also fled in fear. With the threat gone, he turned to the shivering hedgehog child whom he had saved without thought of his own safety.

"It's okay, kid…they're gone." As Sonic looked at the child, he noticed a strong resemblance between Tahra and the child now before him. He had remembered that Tahra mentioned that her entire family was killed, yet this child could very easily pass for her brother…could she have been mistaken on that note? There was only one way to find out whether this was true or he was just crazy.

"Hey, kid…do you have any idea where you are? Where are your parents?"

The child shook his head fearfully. "No…they both got eaten by dragons, or so those angels said to me. My sister's still alive, though. I ran from them. They say that they'll use me for really bad things."

"Do you remember your sister's name?" Sonic asked. He was now pretty sure of it, but he needed to be absolutely sure.

"Tahra. Yeah, that was it. Why do you ask?"

Sonic smiled in satisfaction of himself. Of all the crazy things that happened, it was time that something good happened. Tahra would probably be happy beyond belief when she was reunited with her little brother. As much as she said she disliked her family, Sonic knew that finding someone who they thought was dead turn up alive and well.

"Well, little guy…I think I know where your sister is. Come with me, and I'll show you."

"Mommy always told me never to go with strangers. And you look like a stranger to me, mister."

"If I was a stranger, would I have saved your life from those two angels?"

"I guess not…"

"Then come on, kid. I'll take you to your sister. I promise. By the way, what's your name?"

"My name's Mikael. What's yours?"

"Sonic."

"Sonic…wow…this is so cool! I can't believe I just got saved by Sonic, my hero!"

That little quip just sealed the deal for Sonic. He smiled pleasantly. "It's what I do. Now let's go."

-- -- -- -- --

"Sonic…you're back," Tahra said when Sonic came out of the woods. The child was directly behind Sonic, so Tahra did not know. Sonic himself had a wide grin on his face

"Yeah, and boy, I've got a surprise for you! You recall your little brother being dead, right?"

"Um…yeah…why do you bring that up?"

"Your memory must be shot, because I think I just found him."

Tahra seemed shocked, then suspicious. "…Really? Where's Mikael?"

At that moment, Mikael poked his head out from behind Sonic. Tahra stopped, and the two siblings stared at each other for a second, before the brother spoke.

"Sis…"

"Mikael… "

Knuckles, of course, rolled his eyes. "Oh boy…here come the waterworks…" Both brother and sister stopped and glared at the sarcastic echidna. Sonic seemed peeved as well.

"Great, thanks a lot…you ruined the moment." Sonic said.

Tails did not seem to be annoyed by Knuckles' comment. "While I must agree that the moment would have been pleasant, we don't have time for such trifles. We must reach the city as soon as possible. Once we camp for the night, Tahra and Mikael can share as many tears as they wish. The best place would be at the base of the mountain. Now let's keep going." He continued down the road to the mountain.

-- -- -- -- --

"Can I ask you something, Tails?" Sonic asked as the two sat out in the moonlight at the mountain's base. "It's been bothering me."

"Ask me then."

"It's just that…ever since the day you revealed you were an angel…you've started talking to me differently. You're not the same Tails."

"Tails was merely a nickname, as the name Miles was an adopted name…but it's very similar to my real name…Milos Fylerien. But yes, I've discarded my old identity. Miles 'Tails' Prower does not exist anymore."

"Can I still call you Tails, Milos?"

"I suppose so. It would probably be difficult for you to adjust to such a change."

"I guess you're right. And another thing, why did you fight by my side for all those years…then betray me…and now we're allies again? Can't you make up your mind about whose side you're on?"

"I only wanted to protect you in your father's stead…he was too busy serving Armeil, who you now bear the burden of holding in you."

"If you're really six thousand years old, give-or-take a decade, do you remember what it was like back then, Milos? I'm kind of curious."

The kitsune simply smirked. "You will learn in time."

Sonic was not satisfied with that answer. "C'mon, tell me!"

Milos shook his head. "My lips are sealed on the subject."

Sonic sighed and thought for a minute. Then another idea popped into his head. "Say, Tails…I mean Milos…it looks like you changed Cream so that she looks sixteen now. If you could do that to her, let's what you'd look like when YOU look sixteen. I'm sure Cream would like you a lot better that way."

"I suppose I could do that. I just never chose to. Very well then, here I go." In a flash of light, Milos had changed himself. He was now close to Sonic's height, his twin tails were a bit bushier, and his snout had lengthened about a quarter-inch, but he seemed to be completely the same as before otherwise, save being a little lankier as well, due to his additional height.

"So…what do you think?" Milos said, as he presented his new form to Sonic. After a quick examination, Sonic gave two thumbs up as approval.

"You look great, Milos…she'll fall head over heels for you all over again."

-- -- -- -- --

Knuckles stared up at the Emerald Citadel that was just above them. He had mixed feelings, for he had a few very bad memories and some good times there, and he wondered if the places he had been were still around…and he wondered if _she _was still there.

It was a somewhat platonic but very affectionate relationship that he had in the confines of the Great Academy, which started at the surprisingly young age of nine for Knuckles. It was a girl one year his senior…she always had the scent of cinnamon about her, since she was often making cookies for her various teachers…it was no wonder she was so well liked by them. She claimed that she was going to be a teacher, and teach the younglings, so that she could make them cookies every day, if any reason was to be given.

It had all started when they, quite literally, bumped into each other in the halls one day. Her cookies spilled all over the floor, and he was frantically trying to help her pick them up so that they could get to class as quickly as possible. But they ended being twenty minutes late after they started chatting it up with each other about random things. Both of them had to stay after the end of the last class.

Sometimes Knuckles would go over to her house and help her bake cookies with her mother after school, when he could find the time. Other times they would do work from school together. She had trouble with languages, while he had trouble with math. They almost considered each other brother and sister.

Puberty came inevitably, and the two found that their relationship was headed in a direction that neither was quite ready for. It had gone from them making cookies together to him bringing her flowers. Just after Knuckles' thirteenth birthday, he was about to ask her to spend the day with him when fate reared its head and forced onto the young Knuckles his family's post of guarding the Master Emerald, forcing him out of the Academy and the girl who made cookies out of his life.

He wondered what she would be like now…would she be living her dream of teaching the younglings and making cookies for them…and what would she think of him, slinking away from his sacred post…no, he was doing a good thing, helping Sonic.

Still, he couldn't help but think of her…the girl who nearly stole his heart…Vahtri…that was her name. His name…Knuckles…it was just a name he used among his friends…his real name was still similar though…Knuxiln…he hadn't referred to himself as that in ages. The closest he got was Knux. The echidna continued staring up at the Citadel, wondering if Vahtri was still thinking of him…

-- -- -- -- --

Tahra awoke to hear her little brother whimpering in his sleep. As she glanced over in his direction, she could make him out to be wriggling and whimpering in the darkness. He mumbled something she couldn't understand, but it sounded like he was having a bad dream. She gently shook Mikael, and he stopped wriggling, and his breathing returned to normal. In the darkness Tahra could barely see him turn toward her.

"Is that you, sis?" he whispered. "Thanks for waking me up…I think I was having a bad dream."

"What was it about?"

"Nothing you'd care about. You wouldn't understand. Good night, Tahra." Mikael fell back asleep and again, and seemed content. Tahra wondered what was going on in her little brother's head. But now that he was asleep again, it would probably be difficult to wake him up. Tahra started to crawl back into her sleeping bag when she noticed Sonic's silhouette moving across the tent lining, looking like he was carrying something long and thin. She poked her head out and saw him wander toward the mountain. Curious as to what he was up to, she followed him.

He stopped at a vertical and smooth part of the mountainside. He took large two dry sticks from the edge of the woods and began to rub them together at a very fast rate. In no time at all, he had made a small fire. It was at this point that he noticed Tahra.

"Oh, hey…what are you doing up?" he asked.

"I'd like to ask you the same question," she replied.

"Okay, I guess I'll go first. I noticed these strange marks on the wall while we were setting up camp, so I decided to investigate them. From what little I can tell, it's definitely writing of some kind. You wanna take a look with me?" Without answering, Tahra went over to the writing, which was clearly illuminated in the firelight. It seemed that she recognized this writing and began to translate.

"It's nothing particularly special…just some old graffiti, making a mockery of the high language. This is a combination of Brymbaal and Echidna. It roughly translates to 'Lady Karna's got a great ass'. Some lewd echidna must have carved it here as a joke"

"What do you mean, High Brymbaal?"

"High Brymbaal? That's the language of the three highest castes: hedgehogs, kitsune and echidnas. They use it to communicate when interacting with any other two."

"…Castes…As in a class system based on race? And how do you know all this stuff?"

"You should recall that I'm a descendant of the clergy of the Chaos Emeralds. My grandmother is the current high priestess, and I had to take lessons every time I saw her. Looks like they're finally paying off…"

"What about that caste system?"

Tahra seemed to have forgotten about that."Oops, sorry. Anyway, there's a caste system based on race, and we hedgehogs are at the top of the heap. The lowest two are the crocodiles and weasels. The crocodiles have always been the enemies of all the other races, which is why they are so hated. As for the weasels, I really don't know why they're below even the crocs."

"I don't like the sound of this system. How long as it been in place?"

"Oh, it's been around for seven thousand years or so. My grandmother doesn't like it either, but she isn't about to question the ancient order, and only my family knows that."

Sonic seemed indignant now, and clenched a fist. "Damn it...if I ever get the chance, I'll get rid of that system and make a world where everyone, regardless of who they are…can live equally. You'd like a world that way, wouldn't you?"

Tahra shrugged, and then sighed. "I suppose it would be nice. But it seems like a pipe dream, though."

Sonic smiled a little. "We'll find a way, Tahra. I promise you, we will."


	21. Chapter 21: The Echidna City

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**Author's Note: **Wow. This one has gotten a lot more attention than my previous project, _Scores_. I must be getting better. Keep in mind, folks, that I am open to constructive criticism, much like Shadow Stalkr did. Don't be afraid to tell me that this sucks, as long as you explain why and say how I could make it better. Flames will be ignored.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"It has to be around here somewhere…" Knuckles mumbled as he tapped parts of a rock wall as the others just hung around, waiting for something to happen. Knuckles said that there was a secret passage inside the mountain that would remove the need for difficult climbing, but it seemed like he was mistaken.

"I'm bored…" Mikael moaned. "…Can you hurry up, mister echidna?"

"You can't rush these kind of things, Mikey," Tahra said to her brother, using one of his nicknames that she used at home. "Knuckles is not completely sure where it is."

"Tails, could you lend a hand?" Knuckles said, and the kitsune came over. After a quick glance around, he kicked a small rock next to the wall. It fell over, and the wall began to vibrate and open up, much to everyone (save Tails') surprise. The kitsune had a smug look on his face, once again reasserting his superior intellect.

"He was lucky…" Knuckles said dismissively and started into the passage. Tahra and Mikael snickered quietly while Sonic rolled his eyes before they all followed the echidna into the passage.

-- -- -- -- --

The passage through the mountain was, as expected, very dark. But Knuckles had thought ahead and taken a torch enchanted with magical, non-burning flame, set on a rack for the purpose of going through the passage. As the group walked through the twisting corridor, they could sense the presence of the guardian spirits wandering the passage. They could not be seen, but their presence was definitely there. It was an oddly comforting feeling, rather than a chilling one. They seemed to warm the passage to the perfect temperature.

After about two hours of walking in silence, the group came upon a wall that indicated the presence of a door. Unlike the previous one, Knuckles opened the door simply by pushing on it. When their eyes readjusted to the light, a marvelous sight stood before them.

A citadel seemed completely made of emerald rose before them, its four green crystal spires reaching to the top of the overhang, and two watchtowers also stood at the gate. The walls themselves blocked out any view of the interior; even the tops of the buildings were blocked from sight. Diamond spikes lined the top of the walls, to protect from intruders who would dare try to scale the great walls. The only parts that seemed to be made of a non-gem material were the double doors, forged of adamant. Sonic started to wonder how the humans had never been able to get their hands on this super-metal, seeing it in such great amounts recently.

The arrival of the group was noticed by an echidna guard by one of the watchtowers. He called to them, to ensure that they were not enemies.

"Who goes there?" he called to them. "State your names and your business!" The group got a little closer so that they could speak normally to the guard. The guard seemed to recognize Knuckles, though.

"So, Knuxiln, the Guardian of the Master Emerald comes here. Why do you return here? You should be on Angel Island, right?"

"Knuxiln?" Sonic exclaimed. "That's your real name, Knuckles?"

"I have come here to guide this hedgehog," Knuckles said, pointing to Sonic, "on his journey of redemption. He bears the Mark of Penitence, and has been chosen by fate to wield the sacred blade Excalibur, but cannot do so without removing the Mark. As for the Master Emerald…it has fallen into the hands of the Judgment."

"Heh…and I thought that the prophecy was a fairy tale. But it looks like it's passing just as the ancients foretold. Talk about witnessing history. I assume you want to see the Cardinals."

"Can we just go in already?" Sonic complained.

"Sheesh…don't be so pushy," the guard responded snidely. He disappeared into the watchtower for a minute or two before the gates creaked open. The gates opened to a large plaza, surrounded by various two-floor buildings. The buildings, unlike the walls, were made of well-polished stone with some parts made of wood. All appeared to be well-maintained and designed, with simple but aesthetically pleasing decorations. There was one building that stood out above them all: a massive castle-like structure that nearly reached the top of the wall.

Some echidnas were passing through the plaza on their daily business, but they had all stopped to see the arrival of the newcomers before continuing on. All of them had at least one item of jewelry on them, whether a gold bracelet, a headband of silver with a gem in the middle, or just a necklace made of amethyst.

"Hey Knux, why all the bling?" Sonic asked as he noticed this. "There doesn't seem to be a poor person in sight…not that it's a bad thing."

"This citadel is where the nobility of my kind lives most. This is also where the Great Academy is…a lot of echidnas, and even people of other races send their children for education, if they have the right connections. The Cardinals the guard mentioned double as the deans of the Great Academy."

"So…I guess we're off to the Academy, then." Sonic said. "Just show us the way."

"I don't think it will be so easy. They're really stubborn, and won't speak to just anyone. They would only speak to someone with connections to the high ranks of the Emerald Light without an appointment." Tahra knew immediately that she was the one to do it. Sonic realized this too, but he was the first to answer.

"I think Tahra can get that."

Knuckles seemed perplexed. "You have connections to the clergy of the Emerald Light?"

"I'm the high priestess' granddaughter, believe it or not," Tahra answered. "I may not look the part, but I'm the real thing, Knuckles."

"But will they believe you? As you said, you don't look the part."

Tahra said something to Knuckles in a language that Sonic couldn't understand, but Knuckles seemed to be convinced, since he understood the language.

"Heh…I wouldn't have thought you could speak Echidna. No other hedgehogs but the high clergy of the Emerald Light know that language."

Tahra seemed very proud of herself at her prowess at different tongues. "I don't mean to brag, but I also know a lot of languages…but Echidna was my fourth language after Hedgehog, Common Human, and Brymbaal."

Sonic groaned in dismay. "Man…I don't even know my kind's own language? That really sucks! I seriously need to learn some more languages."

"I'm sure I could teach you, Sonic," Tahra said. "But we need to get to the Academy."

Knuckles started off in a different direction. "You guys go ahead…I have personal business here. See you all later."

"Anyone else have personal matters to attend to?" Sonic asked the group.

"Actually, I'd like to peruse the library for a while," Tails interjected. "There might be some valuable information for the journey in there. I'll stay with you until we reach the library."

Sonic nodded. "Okay then, it's time for me to get this part of my adventure rolling…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

The smell of cinnamon…that was the only indicator that Knuckles was heading in the right direction. He followed it through the streets of the city, taking a whiff every so often to ensure that he was on the right trail. It wasn't too long before he found the source: there was a batch of cookies sitting on a windowsill of one building, a dormitory of the Academy.

_That must be Vahtri's… _Knuckles thought. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the door and knocked a few times, then waited a little nervously. About ten seconds later, the door opened a little. An earthy-orange female echidna was standing there, peeking out. She was about to greet him when she gasped. She closed the door. Some rattling came from inside, and the door opened again, this time the whole way.

Both of them stood there nervously, trying to find the words to greet the other. They had not seen each other for almost seven years, so the meeting was obviously awkward. Eventually the girl managed to speak. They would be speaking Echidna, being members of the same race.

"Um…Knux…hi…" she said nervously. "You're back."

"Yep…can I…um…come in?" Knuckles stammered.

"Uh…sure…I just finished a batch of cookies. They need to cool."

Knuckles was starting to get a little more comfortable. "I could smell them from the plaza."

"You always could…"

Vahtri let Knuckles in and closed the door. Knuckles found a stool and sat down.

"What brings you here, Knux?" Vahtri asked as she began cleaning up her small kitchen, which was open to the small central area where Knuckles sat.

"As much as I'd like to say that it was your cookies that led me back, but it's not the reason. The real reason is that I'm helping fulfill the prophecy…one of my friends turned out to be Excalibur's new wielder, but he needs to repent for past crimes before he can do so."

Vahtri seemed surprised, as she stopped all cleaning. "You don't mean that…"

"Yep…_it _is coming back. Those angels are up to no good, and they took the Master Emerald."

"So that means the humans are…"

"Every single one of them is dead."

"Did your friend…"

Knuckles simply nodded. Vahtri sighed and shook her head.

"I can see why he has to go on this journey…but I think we talked enough about this. I'm glad that you're back. Tell me about what's happened over the past years…at least before this whole mess started."

"Well…for about two years I was alone on Angel Island, guarding the Master Emerald…when my friend comes along. He dropped the seven Chaos Emeralds, and I took them to safeguard them. I figured he shouldn't be using them as he was."

"How did you become friends with him?"

"He beat me in single combat a few times. He was a good sport, though. I eventually started to like him. As it turned out, he had a bunch of other friends as well. I started slipping on my Emerald duties after I met this guy. Oh, his name is Sonic."

Vahtri blushed when she asked this next question. "I know this may be silly…but have you found anyone else? Don't think that I'd be jealous or anything…"

"Well…there's this one bat girl that I met…her name's Rouge. At first she and I were rivals. But eventually, I guess a little something sparked between us. We dated on and off for a year or two…but nothing big has come of it yet."

"So does that mean…there's still hope?"

"Huh?"

"Oh, it's nothing…"

-- -- -- -- --

"There…that's the last of them…" Tails sighed as he placed the last pile of books on a table in the library. He had been gathering old texts of all kinds for research reasons. Despite his true nature as a six-thousand-year-old angel, and would have a comprehensive view of history, his need to know was still present. Any information that would help Sonic's journey would be of great help.

He grabbed a text and began leafing through it, his eyes and brain taking in the words at an astounding pace. He was able to finish two books of roughly three-hundred pages in about twenty minutes. As he read through a third book, he seemed to find what he was looking for. Settling back into the text, he carefully took in every word…mouthing the words of the ancient language that he knew so well…

"…_The demon, heart filled with greed for power and desire to serve the Parasite, carved an Emerald to rule over the others as their sovereign; imposing order on chaos and making the true power of chaos his and his alone._

_But he lost this Master Emerald; and it lies in the charge of echidnas; woeful will be the day when he should regain his precious Emerald; for that is the day that the skies shall be red with blood. _

_To ensure his dominion over the land, he made shining beings with wings, calling them "angels", though the true servants of heaven have long since passed. He also struck a deal with a being from beyond the stars to serve him…but would turn his back on him when the time came._

_Though my forecast of the ages seems bleak, those whose hearts are turned to good need not despair; for four of the sacred race shall rise; one born of the demon's angels…one made by human, seeking immortality…one infused with blood of dragons, to be used for power…one raised in the hallowed halls of the Emerald Light…all shall take the sacred arms, and show the demon, who serves the Parasite, and all his servants, the meaning of justice…"_

Tails closed the book. This was the truth. He knew it in his heart, his mind and his gut, all at once. Whoever wrote this ancient text must have somehow seen things as they were. He had overheard Nazo speaking of a Parasite. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks…for the past six-thousand years he had been deluded into following the beliefs of a demon who served a being who would destroy it all. And to top it all off, the Master Emerald was a relic made for evil purposes, and had to be destroyed.

_I have to show this to Sonic…I have to show this to everyone, _he said to himself.

-- -- -- -- --

**Author's Note: **The temptation to do "One Emerald to Rule Them All" was huge...but I resisted. Anyway, how's that for a plot twist?


	22. Chapter 22: Pondering Her Changes

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Author's Note**: After considering Shadow Stalkr's review of the first chapter, I believe it may be time for a little explanation about how Amy has changed so much over the years, and a first-person account of it seems to be the way. It may be a little boring, but it should clear a lot of things up.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Well, things went awfully well with the Grand Mole, or at least, his representative. As it turns out, the Grand Mole is getting a little senile, and his daughter is running things around here. She was a strong leader for someone her age…wait…why I am judging her like that? I'm only sixteen! She looks older than that. As long as I'm on the topic of age, I might as well ponder about the last few years after the Black Arms attacked. I haven't thought about that in a while.

On my thirteenth birthday, there was this really big bash. Tails and Cream put their heads together to make me a party. A lot of my friends were there and Sonic even decided to show up. I started to think that maybe I was finally getting to him…but he "forgot" to bring my gift! I was pretty mad that day, but I suppose I can forgive him. It's just a gift, after all.

But the weirdest thing was what came the next day. A simple package wrapped in newspaper just appeared at my door. All it said was, "Happy Birthday, Amy…Your friend, Shadow." I opened the package. There were two items in the box: a pair of onyx stud earrings and an envelope. I opened the envelope. There was a faded picture of Shadow and a pretty-looking human girl. I guessed it was Maria. I looked on the back, and there was a single bit of writing: _"Y'know, maybe Maria isn't dead after all. See you again someday…Shadow." _I didn't make much of the note, but I found the earrings to be quite nice. Cream disagreed, saying black wasn't my thing. I haven't worn them since.

About a month later, I noticed a sign saying something about art classes on one of my daily walks. I decided to give them a try. I was open to something new. The first day I went, they were lecturing about art history as an intro. I, of course, was bored, so I began doodling in the sketchbook I had bought for the class. It started out with all the hearts and flowers and whatnot. I was still pretty immature.

But one class, a few months after that first day had an interesting "problem" for the day: to create an image something that appears to be real, but would be impossible in reality. I started out doing a drawing of me kissing Knuckles. I would never have done something like that. But as I went on, I began drawing out Sonic instead of Knuckles without really thinking about it. I was shocked that I would make such an image, but I decided to go along with it. The teacher was quite surprised that a girl my age would produce such a suggestive piece of work. It wasn't a great work, but they got the picture. Again, I didn't make much of it. But as time went on, the same theme came up over and over...that I could never have Sonic the way I was. I knew that I had to make a big change in my life if I was to have him.

My first item on my list of changes was my clothing. I had never thought about it, but I wore the same clothes every day. As I stared at myself in the mirror wearing one, I felt childish, trapped in a pre-teen school-girl appearance. My own art had opened my eyes, and the red dresses had to go. I tore it off, and stared at myself with just a bra and underwear for a moment, then glanced over at a photo of me and Sonic. I stared at the perky, short-haired little girl in the picture, hugging a distressed Sonic…and I hated her. I would have torn every single one of my dresses to shreds in my rage, but I would have been without clothes. I had to stand my pretty red prison for one more day.

A few of my art class friends offered to help me with my new look, and took me to a few of their favorite stores. The first was full of people who seemed nothing like the old me: dark, gloomy and very pale. I wasn't willing to go that far…I didn't want to be Goth or something like that.

The second store was better: its products had a bit of an attitude, but not too much. I picked out about twenty shirts of varying designs. I found that I like magenta a lot, as well as sea green. I also got a lot of jeans. It was a little tough to find something for someone as short as I was, but I managed. When I changed from the dress into these new outfits, I felt great, like a great weight had been thrown off my shoulders. If Yakujo hadn't been able to pay for all that, I'd have been in quite a financial bind.

When I got home, I put on one of my new outfits and commenced to shred the clothing of my past. Armed with a big pair of scissors, I began to make cut-outs, confetti and other sorts of things with the clothing scraps. I had the time of my life doing that. I was whooping and screaming in something reminiscent of battle fury. I remember having complaints from neighbors the next day about my noise. One dress did get spared from my wrath. Instead of destroying it, I decided to use it. I took a few strips of duct tape (don't ask where I got it) and made two words: "Not Me". I hung it up on my wall, as a reminder of this day. I still keep the red ribbon, though. I'm not sure why.

The next target was my own body. My school-girl image was still hanging there when I didn't have my clothes on. I didn't want a major change…just enough to dispel that image. I wanted to do something enjoyable…not something at a gym or anything. As I was talking to Espio one day, he suggested I take martial arts, which I decided was worth a shot. He showed me a dojo in the city limits, and said that he was friends with the master there.

The first day I went was during the master's off-time. Espio introduced me to him…Master Khang was his name. He fit the stereotypical Zen master look like a glove: balding, white beard, slightly slanted eyes that seemed to be constantly squinting. After Espio left because of business at his agency, Master Khang sat down with me and we talked for a little bit. I told him why I had come, but he saw another reason that he didn't tell me for a while…he said I sought to understand myself, and through my training, I could do that.

It was all well and good for a while. Then around my fourteenth birthday, I think I hit a growth spurt. I felt a lot more like an adult than before. And I also found myself stronger than before…a lot stronger…faster too. Like I always did, I didn't make too much of it at first. But Master Khang started to wonder a lot. He pointed this out to me, and I observed my changes in appearance more carefully. And as I grew in skill, I soon found that I didn't need my hammer.

One day after class, I ran into Sonic one day on the street. He, as I had hoped, extremely surprised at the changes I had made. I can still remember that conversation to this very day…

"_Wow! You've…um…grown, Amy. Have you been working out?"_

"_You noticed. Well, I take classes down at the local martial arts academy."_

"_Is that so? This is certainly a major change. What brought this about all of a sudden?"_

"_I just felt like I needed to make a new image for myself."_

"_Well, good for you, I guess. Well, see you later."_

"_Bye."_

He walked away, glancing back occasionally. I just stood there, not doing anything. I'm sure he was waiting for me to start chasing him. But I didn't. I stood there, watching him walk away. After that day, I knew my changes were working perfectly. I was done chasing him…now I had to make him chase me.

My fifteenth birthday was like a first birthday for the new me. Everyone was intrigued by my change in image over the years, and I can swear that Knuckles and Espio seemed very tempted to flirt with me. I could see it in their eyes. Rouge, who had decided to show up, was impressed enough by the changes to later offer that we have a girl's night out one night.

What a night it was. Shopping, a movie, dancing and a dinner at a bistro. Rouge, who had only two-and-a-half years earlier would have called me a ditzy school-girl, was cavorting with me as if she was a long-time friend. But that was also the first time an entirely new side of me reared its head…a darker side.

As we were walking home from the club, an echidna, two hedgehogs and a wolf, all drunk, came stumbling out of the club and started talking trash to us. Rouge managed to keep her head by ignoring the buffoons. But soon their approaches turned more direct. They were obviously out for some action, and not something I was willing to give.

The hedgehog was getting a little too close for comfort. At one point, he stumbled behind me and grabbed my rear end. That was the last straw, and I felt something in my mind snap. I lashed out at him with a fist, knocking him completely out cold. Rouge was surprised by my violent, but justifiable act of self-defense, as were the unlucky guy's companions. They apparently had enough sense not to get on my case anymore, and they lurched away.

After that day, I found my anger, though still infrequent, getting a lot more violent than before. Master Khang said that this was normal, but I could tell that he was lying. He knew I had to hit someone specific, just to get out all the rage. It was apparent soon enough who it was.

Sonic and I met up again about eight days before Shadow returned. He had offered to walk and talk with me…as friends. I believed that it was the opportunity I was looking for…to have him at last. We were walking through the park with chili dogs in our hands, chatting about something. As we started circling the lake, he, supposedly as a joke, went and pushed me into the lake. He was laughing hysterically, thinking that he was such a big jokester. As I got up, that same rage that was triggered by the drunken hedgehog. But instead of a fist, I delivered a slap so hard that it sent him spinning. I can remember seeing that mark for days after that.

That day…that push…that slap…it made me get over my denial…Sonic would never truly love me. Sure, he was only kidding, but his laughter made me realize that. In those few seconds, I got the message that he had been trying to send for so long…marriage was out of the question. Even after I slapped him, I couldn't bring myself to believe that I had lashed out at my own friend. I started to wonder if this whole image change was such a good idea. And still, just a little bit, I wanted Sonic. But that was all about to change.

Enter one Shadow the Hedgehog. I was a little freaked out by his sudden appearance, seemingly out of nowhere. He seemed intrigued by my changes as well. I could see this glimmer in his eye that he wanted me. For a moment, I believed that Shadow was the one. So I took him up on his offer.

The first few days of our relationship had me walking on air. I thought I had finally found my soul mate. He seemed to have the same feelings for me. Even after my high days, we were still in love. I can remember all the things we did: he came to my art shows; we talked by the same lake Sonic had pushed me into (I pushed Shadow into the lake one time, he took it pretty well); we had nighttime walks in the park; he even came into my apartment and nuzzled together (as much as he appeared to hate it, I'm sure he liked it). All was well and good. Then this whole mess started. I thought it would only strengthen the bond between us, and for a time, it seemed like it did.

Then Eclipse showed up. If what he was said was true, then Shadow's feelings aren't true love…they're lust, a twisted, corrupted version of love where he would use me for his own pleasure. Now I start to wonder if Shadow is really who I want. I want to love him…but how can I love someone who wants to do things to me the way Eclipse said he did? I'll have to think of a way for Shadow to prove himself once and for all whether he truly loves me or only wants my body.

Wow…now that I look at all that…I wonder just how much I've really changed. Maybe I still have work to do. But right now, I have to get that sacred hammer into my possession and this demon out of me. Once that's all over, I can think about love again. What do I have to do for the blessing of the moles? Simple…help them get rid of those worms. I had a feeling that they were involved in this.

-- -- -- -- -- --

**Author's Note:** Two in one day! W00tness! This latest one could probably work as a stand-alone, if I didn't involve the plot in it and all.


	23. Chapter 23: Shadow's Common Theme

**.Chapter Twenty-Three**

**Author's Note**: I'm now dividing the individual chapters in books, based on different parts of the adventure. Book 1 is Chapters 1 through 3. Sorry about the confusing configuration; I can always change it back if you really want to. Anyway, I'm start to like these "reflections" chapters, so I think I'll do one for Shadow right now.

-- -- -- -- -- --

I can't get to sleep…AGAIN. I guess I'm nervous about the wolves' so-called Challenge. I suppose that's normal. But there's something else I feel like I need to do right now. It's been quite a while since I looked back at my life, especially the past few years after I beat Black Doom. As long as I'm up, I guess I might as well.

But something else comes to mind first, something I was sure I had forgotten. It's a hug and a squeal. I'm discussing my plans with Rouge and Doctor Eggman (yeah, I remember it now, since Rouge filled me in one day) when all of a sudden this little pink hedgehog girl comes rushing up behind me and starts nuzzling me, calling me her darling Sonic. For a split second, I could feel Maria's touch again. Then I realized that it wasn't her. She was dead.

For the time being, I thought she was just a little schoolgirl who stuck her nose into everyone's business. I didn't see her again until I was back on the ARK. I figured she was just going to bother me again. But she didn't. I don't remember how it happened, but she somehow awakened this good in me…she helped me remember my promise to Maria…and her. I wondered if that was a slip of the tongue. Again, I told her to stay out my way. I wasn't ready to acknowledge that I even cared about her.

As Sonic and I did battle with the Biolizard, I found myself fighting for everyone on Earth. But I could see her, gazing out the window of the falling ARK. And I swear that for a moment, her eyes met mine. As I felt my mind slipping away in my coma, the last thing I saw was her walking into the darkness. Ironically, of all my memories of those days that were lost, her face was the only thing I clung on to.

When I was awakened again, I didn't remember much of anything. At least until I ran into Amy one day with Rouge and Omega, on our search for Doctor Eggman. I had found a Chao wandering, and I decided to catch it and show to the group.

"_Look at this, Omega…do you think is…"_

_Omega was quick to answer. "A Chao? Affirmative."_

_Rouge's eyes glimmered with greed. "These things could make an easy killing on the black market…I say we sell it after this whole mess is over; Finders keepers, right, Shadow?"_

"_I guess so."_

That's when Amy stumbled upon us. I didn't fully recognize her, but I had a feeling of déjà vu when we saw each other. She was more surprised that I was alive than that the Chao had fallen into our possession.

"…_Shadow!"_

_Rouge didn't seem happy to see her. "Well, if isn't little Amy Rose…chasing Sonic again, I assume? Good luck with that."_

"_Rouge the Bat…I should have known you'd sink low enough to steal Cheese from my friend! Give him back now!"_

_Omega, of course, taunted her in his special way. "Scans indicate that this individual's chances of getting the Chao by force are 526,296,327 to 1."_

In that moment, I wanted to teach Omega a lesson in probability, for reasons I couldn't yet put my finger on. All I did was loosen my grip, and the Chao managed to wriggle free, much to everyone's surprise. It dashed as quickly as possible away from us. I could remember the look on Rouge's face…priceless.

"_Shadow! What the hell did you do that for! We had a gold mine right there, and you let it slip away! Are you absolutely stir-crazy?"_

_Omega, despite being a machine, displayed surprise as well. "Shadow…your action was completely illogical!"_

I never told them why I let the Chao go. Even I wasn't sure why at the time. But now I'm sure it was that I was trying to win her friendship. She took off after the Chao, and my team was back on the track to Eggman. We duly crushed him, and I saw her again when we battled Metal Sonic. I can remember the last conversation between me and Omega…how ironic that Amy came up yet again, in a subtle way.

"_Shadow…"_

"_Yeah, Omega?"_

"_There is something in my data that does not compute, and I feel compelled to ask about."_

"_Go ahead and ask me."_

"_Can machines…love?"_

"_Not that I'm aware of. What brought this up?"_

"_It is not of your concern. But now this error in my data has been accounted for."_

It seemed like Omega had finally realized that I was the real Shadow, and not an android.

I didn't see Amy again for about three or four months. Black Doom made his offer…find the seven Chaos Emeralds and learn the truth about my past. I took him up on his offer, figuring he knew the truth. I served him for a while…and then Amy showed up again. Cream and Cheese had wandered into Eggman's creepy castle, and she begged me to help her find them. Again, when I could not be moved by Rouge's panache or Sonic's sense of justice, this little twelve-year-old somehow won me over…again. Afterwards, I realized that siding with Black Doom was a big mistake. She wasn't much of a help against Doctor Eggman's robot, though.

But her influence on me didn't end there. When the final showdown between me and Black Doom was imminent, her cries of suffering stood out the most. Even though I responded to Maria's voice, I thought I heard hers as well.

Time and time again Amy's words gave me strength to battle the forces that would destroy the Earth, but time and again she ignored me for Sonic. Then again, I didn't mind being alone. But after I defeated Black Doom, I ruminated with my memories over and over again, trying to find a link to my realizations and Maria. It wasn't long before I found the common theme: Amy. Her touch, her words, her manner…Maria was the exact same way. As I dwelled on that thought, I believed that maybe Maria wasn't dead…only her body was. I had to find some way to thank Amy for all she did for me.

I found a pair of onyx stud earrings in an old storeroom just above Maria's bedroom on the ARK. Maria said she didn't like black normally, but the onyx earrings reminded her so much of me and my fuzzy black fur. Of course, she lost them soon after that day, and she was absolutely distraught. I remember watching some of the scientist search the area for hours without ever finding them. I took the earrings, cleaned them off and put them in a little box with cotton. I felt really silly doing it, but I wanted to her to know that at least I was her friend. There was not going to be any wrapping paper on the ARK, so I made do with old newspaper.

As I prepared to wrap the little gift, I noticed the picture of Gerald and Maria lying on the floor where I had left it. I took the photo and wrote something on the back: _"Y'know, maybe Maria isn't dead after all. See you again someday…Shadow." _On the newspaper, I scribbled something wishing her a happy birthday…nothing big.

For the next three years, I spent my time on the ARK, fixing what I could, sometimes taking walks in the space colony's artificial air bubble outside. But in addition to boredom, I felt a void in my life growing. I felt like I didn't have a purpose anymore. With Black Doom dead as a doornail (or so I thought) and the Black Comet nothing but a memory, I didn't know what to do with my life. So I decided to find my new purpose back on Earth.

When I returned, I had found Amy to be very different. She had cast aside her red skirt for somewhat trendier clothing: jeans and a t-shirt. She had also taken up martial arts of some kind, judging by her initial response to my appearance. As we talked, my old feelings for her returned…with something disturbingly new bubbling up. I could tell that she was in her prime...the very smell of her made my heart beat faster. New feelings of passion and desire to have her as my own began swelling in me at a terrifying rate. I couldn't keep up my cool, distant attitude toward her any longer…I had to tell her how I really felt. And I did, with feeling I could never have been able to express before. It had gone beyond me loving her because she was so like Maria…I loved her for being herself.

Her acceptance of my feelings made me feel joy unlike anything I had ever felt before…hell, I couldn't remember ever feeling happy before that day. Even my relatively carefree days on the ARK with Maria were nothing compared to the ecstasy of being with her. I found myself smiling more, something that I thought I would never be able to do again.

Then, of course Ragozine had to rear his ugly head. As I helped Amy search for her own true identity, I find that my creator's legacy had a greater sphere of influence than I had first come to believe. The discovery of Amy being genetically modified to be my mate and become a being of equal power was quite a shock. I was created to be the ultimate weapon…but the humans were not satisfied. They wanted an entire race of ultimate life forms to do their bidding. If the angels didn't get them, I suppose our descendants would have. But with the help of my creator's greatest student (and Amy's creator, if you will) I was able to help Amy find her true self, and through it came a power beyond anything I had ever known. But that doesn't change her in my eyes. She will always be the sweet but sassy girl I have come to care for.

Amy's sixteenth birthday, which occurred in between her discovery and the coming of the angels, seemed to be the best one she ever had. Sonic seemed to have finally come to terms with the fact that she was over him and came willingly and cheerfully. But this time he brought his friend Tahra along. I was extremely surprised about the girl…she seemed so much like me, and nothing like the Amy I once knew. But as it turned out, Tahra and Amy were friends from their art classes. If I were to give my personal opinion, I believe that if I could have been attracted to the perky schoolgirl attitude of Amy, then Sonic must really like Tahra's sharp wit and bad-ass attitude. As they say, sometimes opposites attract. That be another reason why I love Amy so much. I felt I could never do her any harm.

But lately, I've been starting to have dreams about Amy…ones where she caresses me, she fondles me, she tempts me. Her eyes twinkle with seduction in these dreams. In these visions in sleep, Amy is even more developed in body shape, more akin to Rouge. She whispers in my ear words of lust...and I reach out to grab her and make her mine. I fear now that affection has been exchanged with lust. I fear that one day my own emotions will make me turn into a sex-rampant beast, ruining the purity and spunky innocence that made me who I am today. She cannot ever know that this is now how I feel about her. Not now, at least. She's still too young.

My eyes are finally getting heavy. I hope not to have the dreams of my dark desires this night. Though one withAmy in it would still be nice…


	24. Chapter 24: Full of Surprises

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**Author's Note: **This next part will be a bit of a surprise to you all…

-- -- -- -- --

The time had come…Shadow now had to face his true trial. Even though he was the ultimate life-form, Shadow had no idea what hidden abilities the Great Alpha had in store. All Shadow had available was his innate agility and reflexes. As he entered the crater-like area that served as a make-shift arena, he had to pass between two wolves. It seemed like the entire pack had arranged itself at the edge of the crater, forming a wall of sorts.

The Great Alpha had already entered the arena, and he was a sight to behold. He towered at least nine feet tall, and his entire body, not just his face was covered in scars, obviously from his many battles clawing his way to the top of the pecking order and defending his place in it. His body was rippling with muscle, and his shaggy fur waved in the wind.

"You've come at last, Shadow the hedgehog. You have proven yourself to be worthy of my kind's blessing so far…but you have one more trial before you. You must best me in combat. The rules are simple. We will fight until one of us is judged to be too weary to continue."

"But who will judge that?" Shadow asked.

"My people know innately when a creature is too weary to fight any longer. But do not hold anything back, Shadow, for I intend to throw my best at you as well. I salute you and wish you luck."

He howled up to the sky, and all the other wolves did so as well, in complete harmony. It was almost like a war song that seemed to rile up Shadow and excite him for the battle ahead. When their little song was done, the Great Alpha readied himself in a battle stance…then immediately raised his hand, as if to stop the fight. Everyone recoiled in shock at this extremely unexpected sight.

"Wh…what's going on? Are you…surrendering?" Shadow exclaimed. "We haven't even started fighting! Is this some sort of sick joke?"

"F-father? What's the meaning of all this?" Raiden exclaimed.

"No…I thought about your protest to this match, Raiden. I realized that it was foolish of me to let our race's traditions interfere with the salvation of the other peoples of this world. Shadow, you have already done us a great service by driving away the Black Arms from our lands. I thank you on behalf of wolves everywhere. Without this forest, the few members of our kind who still follow the old ways would have no place to call home. And our numbers were never very large to begin with."

"So…that means…"

"Indeed…you shall receive our blessing."

With those words, an old, bent-over wolf dressed in robes and wooden beads came forward, bearing what appeared to be a part of a small tarnished silver medallion on a chain. The old timer took the chain and pressed it on the Mark of Penitence. Shadow felt a brief burning sensation, but it soon wore off. Then he felt another tingling sensation…he could feel some of his old power returning…his access to the power of the Chaos Emeralds was slowly being returned to him. Afterwards, the old wolf put the medallion around Shadow's neck.

"Now that the matter of the blessing is over," the Great Alpha said, "you are welcome to continue your journey…with a new companion, of course." His eyes turned in Raiden's direction.

"Me, father? But I…"

"No buts, Raiden. You're going with them and that's final. I think you'll make a splendid companion for Shadow and Espio. I don't want to see you back here…until you can return as a hero."

"Father…I…I won't disappoint you!"

At that, the other wolves howled in unison once more. Their melody of glory and celebration rang across the land, proclaiming Shadow's status as a hero.

-- -- -- -- --

"The reprogramming and upgrade was a success, Lord Nazo," an angel mechanic said to the hedgehog demon. "The mechanoid known as E-123 Omega has been duly outfitted for his new mission in your service. Shall I bring him here?"

"Yes. Do so." The angel waved to the door, and Omega, newly reprogrammed and upgraded, clomped in as he always did. His black, red and yellow paint job had been exchanged for black, gold and silver. Aside from what appeared to be a pair of extendable angel-like wings on his back and the insignia of the Judgment emblazoned on his shoulders, there appeared to be no additions to him.

"Welcome to the winning side, Omega," Nazo said cordially.

"Greetings, Lord Nazo," Omega replied. "I await your command."

"Let me see what you can do. Perhaps a little demonstration is in order…" Nazo clapped his hands, and four heavily-armored angels tromped into the room. They did not seem to care that their lives were about to end, for they had no souls to make them care.

"There are your targets, Omega…" Nazo said, pointing to the four angels. "Destroy them."

"With pleasure, Lord Nazo…"

Omega, with a single click, opened up much of his armor to reveal holes of sorts. A few seconds later, he shot off at least four dozen missiles, blasting the angels into bits in a loud and fiery explosion. Nazo cackled gleefully at the sheer destruction caused by his new servant.

"What splendid destruction! What beautiful disaster! Wonderful, Omega! I simply _must _commission more of your build!"

Omega quickly whirled around and pointed his gun hand at Nazo. "I'm afraid I must disagree. There can only be _one _Omega. Not three, not two, but _one_. Do I make myself clear?"

Nazo chuckled at this. He knew Omega couldn't stand a chance against him, but he couldn't but admire the machine's directness and pride in his uniqueness. He also found the robot's tendency to aim his weapon at anyone who displeased him in the least almost endearing.

"Very well, then. I'm quite pleased with your abilities, and have no further need to see them here. I'm sure you will use what you have available on your mission…and it just so happens to bring me to that very matter." Nazo held up his hand, and an image of a walking Shadow appeared.

"Shadow…" Omega thought out loud

"It appears some of your old memory still remains…" Nazo responded. "Your mission is simple. Bring him to me…alive or dead matters not. I simply want his body at least mostly intact. You remember that one of my own brothers has a hold on him. If you destroy him entirely, there is a chance that the one possessing him could perish as well."

Omega did not respond to this, but merely turned to leave. When Omega left, Nazo was once again alone, but not for long. Eclipse soon came tromping through the door, seeming quite ticked off.

"Eclipse…you're back. You seem displeased."

"That damn Amy sent me hurtling over a cliff," the fake Shadow grumbled. "Or rather, she tricked me into making me run right off it. Damn, I'm an idiot."

"You let your lust get the best of you. You must learn to keep it from clouding your judgment."

"I suppose you're right…but I'm surprised you aren't yelling at me for failure and whatnot."

"Failure does not surprise me. Those four are more powerful than most of my minions give them credit for, and I let them learn the error of their ways the hard way. Punishment does not breed success."

"You're pretty smart…"

"I know. Now leave here, and continue the mission, Eclipse."

"Heh…thanks, boss."

Eclipse bowed and left the room.

-- -- -- -- --

"Wow…what an honor it is to be on this journey…" Raiden quipped as the group continued through the forest. Their next destination was the Zephyr Colony, where the leader of the hawks lived. It would be a long road ahead, but now that there were three members of their little band, it would be far more enjoyable. Espio seemed to have finally forgiven Shadow for what he did, as the chameleon became more amiable towards Shadow.

As the group stopped to rest at one point, Raiden noticed Shadow deep in thought about something. It almost looked like he had fallen asleep. Curious as to what was on the hedgehog's mind, he poked Shadow on the head. This got his attention.

"Hey! Oh…it's only you, Raiden."

"What were you thinking about?" the wolf asked.

"It's nothing of your concern…"

"Tell me…c'mon!"

"No…and that's my final answer. You're pretty annoying for someone who's supposed to be a great warrior. You're acting like a child."

Raiden was taken aback by this, but said nothing. As he pondered about what to say, Espio came over with a grim look on his face and a two-way radio in one hand.

"Bad news, you two…we're being hunted."

"This is new…how?" Shadow asked. "Of course we are. The Judgment is going to try and stop us in any way possible."

"That's just it…we've got some real heavy hitters looking for us. And one of them is…Omega."

Shadow jumped up from his sitting position. "WHAT?"

"Apparently Omega was captured by the Judgment, reprogrammed and upgraded. Vector, Cream and Charmy barely managed to escape him, and just contacted me. Now that robot is after us…or rather, you, Shadow."

"Is this Omega a machine?" Raiden inquired. "He doesn't sound too tough."

Shadow nodded. "Yes…and he's built to kill. I suggest we go before he finds us."

"He will find us, Shadow…" Espio replied grimly. "It's only a matter of _when_ he'll find us."

"Then when he comes…" Shadow said, raising a clenched fist, "I'll turn him to scrap, even if he is my friend…Omega won't get in our way. But for now, we should get as far as we can..."

-- -- -- -- --

Two days passed without incident, but the trio remained wary as they traveled. They knew Omega would find them. The question was when he would appear and whether they would be ready. On the third day, around mid-morning, their peaceful travel was interrupted by the sound of some sort of machine, and the flapping of wings.

Raiden quickly identified the direction and source of the sound. Six angels were chasing two individuals on hover boards of some sort. One of the riders seemed to be dancing in mid-air, performing maneuvers of superior grace and agility. The other was clumsier, but managed to evade the angels' grasp. The clumsy rider suddenly started to dive in the direction.

"Gang way!" the air-surfer called as he sped toward them. Shadow and Espio heard this and dodged out of the way. Raiden barely managed to dodge the boarder, who hit the ground hard and began tumbling violently forward, legs still attached to the board. The other board rider seemed to notice this, and turned in the direction of the trio. He landed much more gracefully and jumped off the board. The angels continued their pursuit, and landed in front of the group.

Shadow managed to get a good look at the one who landed gracefully. It was definitely a hawk, roughly the size of Shadow. The hawk's feathers were green, and a startling plume of long feathers was on his head, bending back like hair. These feathers were tipped with blue-green, and a white tuft of down covered his pectoral area. He seemed to be wearing googles, but he soon raised them to reveal startling blue eyes. The hawk glanced over his shoulder.

"You three get out of here…let me handle these goons…" the hawk said.

"Fat chance, fly-boy…" Shadow said as he dashed forward and delivered a powerful shoulder barge to the lead angel. Raiden howled and charged as well, headlong into another. The hawk, meanwhile, had to deal with two angels as they rushed at him. With a violent sweep of his hands, the two angels were blown aside and sent careening into the flanking trees.

The remaining two took wing and exchanged their melee weapons for bows, which they began firing rapidly at the hawk. Espio quickly managed to divert the arrows by leaping in front of the hawk and using his special leaf tornado, and then threw three shurikens at the archers in rapid succession. Each one pierced the throat of the winged beings, dropping them to the ground, which caused them to burst into dust on impact. Shadow and Raiden finished off their own targets. The last two, like all the others, disappeared out of fear for their soulless lives.

With his pursuers gone, the green hawk breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to his saviors. "I suppose I should thank you for helping me get rid of those winged freaks, so…thanks."

"So, why were they after you and that other guy?"

"Actually…I'm a girl," the other rider said as she limped over. Thankfully for her, her injuries were relatively minor, only a scraped knee, scraped elbow, and a few bruises here and there. She was also a hawk, but was a bit smaller than the other one. Her feathers were a mix of browns, and a large crest rose out of the top of her head.

"Those monsters have been hunting us hawks for sport. Luckily, they made a big mistake to mess with the Legendary Windmaster…"

"I thought I recognized you!" Raiden exclaimed. "You're Jet, aren't you? I knew I recognized that wind technique. It's an honor to meet you. Your mastery over the air is well-respected, especially among us wolves. They say you're the fastest thing that rides the wind!"

"Heh…I'm flattered. But I should ask who you three are."

"I'm Raiden, and these two are Shadow and Espio. Shadow's on a big quest to get Masamune!"

"Oh, really?" Jet said before looking Shadow over. "Shadow…hmmm…your appearance does ring a bell…yeah…you're the one all right. I suppose you want me and Zeipha to take you to the Zephyr colony."

"That would be good," Shadow answered. "But shouldn't we do something about her injuries?"

"I'm fine…" Zeipha replied immediately as she remounted her board.

"Hey," Shadow said. "What were those things you were riding?"

"My people, who designed and built them, call them wind-riders," Jet answered, "but I think the humans called them Extreme Gear. I was a racer in the Extreme Gear League, but I was so unbeatable that it wasn't any fun for me. So I retired from that use my skills in defense of my kind. Zeipha here is trying to learn how to use it, but so far she's been a complete failure."

"Hey! I'm getting better!" Zeipha answered indignantly, before nearly losing her balance. Jet sighed in disappointment before mounting his own board. As he did, an idea came to him.

"Say…perhaps we can race, Shadow. If the legends are true, then you should able to keep up with me. Are you up to the challenge?" Shadow thought about this for a moment. He hadn't raced anyone in a long time, and he felt like showing Jet just how fast he could be.

"You're on, fly-boy," he replied in a way that seemed more like Sonic. Espio was about to protest, but changed his mind. He decided that this would be a good way for Shadow to show his worthiness to wield Masamune. Shadow wouldn't be able to use Chaos Control, so it would seem to be a fair race.

"Great! The road here takes us to the base of the mountain where the Zephyr Colony is, and that will be our finish line. Zeipha, would do you the honors?" Shadow and Jet lined up next to each other, and Zeipha stood at one side of the road.

She raised her right hand. "On your marks..." Shadow and Jet adjusted their stances. "Get set…" The two leaned forward, and Shadow turned on the air function of his shoes. "GO!" Shadow's shoes sparked with fire and he took off like greased lightning. Jet followed about a hundredth of a second later. Both left a large cloud of dust in their wake.


	25. Chapter 25: Sonic & Tahra

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

**Author's Note: **Let's give a big round of applause for ScarletEbon! This person heeded my pleas for fan-art…and it happens to be good fan-art! The design for Tahra is stupendous! Go to fanartdotnet and check the Sonic the Hedgehog/Sonic X section. I'd like to see some art from the rest of you. But for now, it's time for…sigh…another Sonic chapter. It seems like you're all Shadow/Amy fans here.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Who gave you permission to enter here?" the well-dressed middle-aged echidna, obviously one of the Cardinals and deans of the Academy, roared when Tahra and Sonic entered his room. He had been filing some papers when this disturbance to his work occurred. The following exchange was in Brymbaal, so Sonic could not understand a word they were saying.

"Excuse me…you're one of the Cardinals, no?" Tahra asked.

"Of course I am! I'm a very busy echidna, and have no time for those who did not get an appointment. The matter would have to be of concern to echidnas everywhere before I'd listen to a word you say! Begone before I call the guards."

"Is that any way to speak to a blood relative of the Emerald Light's high priestess?"

The Cardinal seemed shocked. Standing before him was some hedgehog who was dressed in a very strange and unkempt manner. He scoffed at her statement.

"Prove it, if you think you can."

Tahra simply smirked and said "If you won't listen to what I have to say, we're all going to die," in near-perfect Echidna. The Cardinal seemed impressed.

"A hedgehog with perfect fluency in the Echidna tongue…perhaps you do have some relationship to the high priestess of the Emerald Light. State your business…it better be important."

"My name is Tahra…my grandmother is the high priestess of the Emerald Light, and I am also been fated to wield Splendra. This hedgehog here has is Excalibur's fated wielder. Unfortunately, he can only speak in the tongue of humans."

"…A hedgehog who can't speak his own race's language? That's a pity…but back to the matter at hand. There has been a problem recently…this city has recently been under siege by an army of strange demons. They are minions of a powerful fiend named Kifdra-Xu-Deen. He was a powerful archfiend whom one of our old heroes sealed away. The events of the past few months must have shattered his seal. What's worse, he has somehow managed to…gulp shatter Splendra."

"WHAT!" Tahra exclaimed. "How the hell did this guy manage to do that!"

"Its power must have waned so much that he was able to break it."

Sonic was trying to listen in, but couldn't understand the exact words, but he could tell something was very wrong, judging by Tahra's sudden outburst of shock.

"Tahra?" Sonic asked her.

"What?"

"Maybe you can be…um…my translator. I'd like to be a part of this little conversation you're having, but I can't understand what you two are saying."

"Well, I suppose so," Tahra replied before turning back to the echidna Cardinal and addressing this matter. He nodded, which Sonic understood. The next part of this exchange went between Sonic and the echidna, with Tahra as the mutual translator:

"So, what's this thing I have to do for you echidnas?"

"There is a great archfiend named Kifdra-Xu-Deen. He was sealed away ages ago, but the recent cataclysms have shattered his seal, and now he is wreaking havoc on our kind. He has being laying siege on this citadel for the past several days, but you arrive during a lapse of his activity."

"Does he have any connection with the Judgment?"

"There is none that we are aware of. He always liked doing things his own way, and does not like taking orders without a good reason. We're pretty sure this fiend is working for himself. Thankfully, we just so happen to have the very blade that sealed him away before. We Cardinals are willing to lend it to you for the duration of your little jaunt. Besides, you'll need all the sword-practice you can get if you want to wield Excalibur effectively."

"Great. Anything else we need to know?"

"Yes…this will require that you enter the fiend's own realm. He cannot be destroyed in this world, only driven out. His lands are dangerous and filled with his minions. Even the very atmosphere can be potentially toxic. The sword will be able to protect you, but should you lose it, you may very well die."

"Heh…that little matter certainly makes things a lot more interesting. I think I'm up for it!"

The echidna chuckled. "Your bravado surprises, and in a certain way, pleases me. The office of the curator for the Academy's collection is just down the hall. He's one of my fellow Cardinals, but I am the highest-ranking. He'll lend you the sword if you tell me I allowed it."

"Thanks buddy. You won't regret picking Sonic the Hedgehog for this job!"

-- -- -- -- --

"Man, I'm glad you could get us these sweet dormitory rooms on such short notice, Tahra!" Sonic quipped as he hopped onto one of the beds in the room. "I never knew knowing relatives of clergy had so many perks!"

Tahra seemed happy that Sonic was happy. "The Emerald Light is the major religion of the non-human races of the world. It's pretty loosely organized, and my grandmother hates it when people use their connections to her as ways to get extra stuff. But I suppose this is for a good cause."

Sonic decided to change the subject. "I wonder…how do all these different people distinguish themselves from the humans? There has to be some all-encompassing call-sign or something. The different races can't be THAT divided."

"Unfortunately, the caste system gets in the way. So, I guess we don't have anything like that."

Sonic was tempted to launch into one of his cheesy morality speeches, but felt like it wasn't the proper time. Besides, something else was on his mind as well…something that had been gnawing away at him for quite some time. He had been itching to say it, but never had the courage to.

"Tahra…I've been thinking lately…you know we're friends and all…"

The girl simply smirked. _Here we go…Sonic's finally gonna say it. I'll just make like I don't know._

Sonic continued. "We've been friends for a while, y'know?"

"You can't argue with that logic."

"And sometimes…friends feel like becoming…well, more than before."

_Man, he really likes to drag things out…_

"And…I feel like we've gotten to know each other enough…"

Tahra seemed annoyed. _Yada, yada, yada…is he going for dramatic effect or something? _

"That maybe we could…"

_Okay, here we go…three…two…one…_

"…Be a couple?"

Tahra smirked again. _Liftoff…we have liftoff, _she said to herself. She rose from her own bed, sat down right on Sonic's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Well, all right. We can't let Shadow and Amy have all the fun, now can we?"

Sonic seemed very nervous. Bad memories of Amy's pursuits returned to his thoughts, but at the same time, he liked the attention a lot.

"Tahra…this is really unlike you."

"Sonic…you like me a lot. I like you a lot back. We feel exactly the same way about each other."

Sonic was now starting to get scared. "You're not thinking of…"

Tahra seemed shocked, and knew exactly what Sonic was thinking of. "What? That? I'm not THAT crazy for you yet. But I am enough to do this…"

Before Sonic could react, he found his lips locking with Tahra's, and her entire body on top of his. Sonic hadn't expected for Tahra to be so direct and forceful in her approach, but at least he had taken the initiative, however feebly it seemed. He decided to enjoy this time. But the moment only lasted for a few seconds before someone opened the door.

In their surprise, Tahra flopped off from on top of Sonic. Now both could see that Tails was the intruder. He seemed shocked at the few moments of Sonic and Tahra's little make-out session.

"Uhhh…I think this is a bad time…" the kitsune said nervously. "You two continue…I'll just close the door." He did so, or rather, decided to slam the door closed. Sonic and Tahra looked at each other.

"Do you think Tails..?" Tahra asked.

"Nah…he was definitely caught off guard," Sonic replied, "But we should keep things toned down a bit. Who knows what the others will think? Tails got a first-hand look."

"Let's not think about that…I'm sure he wanted to tell us something."

"Sure…judging by how suddenly he came in…sorry about that, Tails! You can come in now!"

Tails came back in, a little more apprehensive this time.

"In all my life, I've never seen anyone do _that_ before. But, anyway, have a look at THIS!" he plopped the book on the other bed, and soon, all three were reading over the page that Tails had marked. Tahra was scratching her head over the nature of the text. Sonic didn't even bother trying to understand it.

"Um…I don't think I know what this is supposed to say," Tahra said. "Would you mind translating for Sonic and me?"

"I'll just summarize: what we're really up against is a creature called the Meteor Parasite. He's apparently been manipulating the Judgment and the Black Arms all this time. I don't how this monster has been doing it, or why, but this creature is the true enemy here."

Sonic was rightfully ticked off by this. "So that must be who those four demons serve…I can't wait to get my hands on this…whatever this…ergh THING is!"

"From what little I know about it, this creature is responsible for the ruin of the hedgehog empire. It may even be able to destroy us all if something isn't done."

"Isn't it always that way?" Sonic quipped. "Then why the hell are we sleeping every night if every moment we do nothing the enemy gets closer and closer to its goal?"

"Sonic…you and Tahra are mortal, for all your power. You still need to rest your minds and bodies any chance you can if you want to stand a chance. Even Shadow and Amy, who qualify as Ultimate Life Forms, are resting at night…at least that's what I've heard…"

"You sound like my grandma…" Tahra said to this. "She was always a big nag…"

Tails didn't respond to this, but closed the book and started out. "You two get to bed now…and no more fooling around." Tahra rolled her eyes.

-- -- -- -- -- --

_Tahra's alone at the circus. Colorful tents surround her. She's five again, and the tents seem to reach the sky. Mommy and Daddy aren't around, just the sounds of animals in their cages. As she wanders around, it suddenly starts to rain, and her light blue dress is getting wet. Desperate for shelter, Tahra searches for shelter in one of the tents._

_She stops to see three men looking at something. They're still in the clown costumes. One of them, the smallest, hears Tahra come in and turns around. The clown's face is painted white, with red on his lips, nose and eyes. He is wearing a blue and red polka dotted shirt and green and yellow overalls. His shoes are much too big for him. His two companions were dressed in similar outfits, with other colors. _

_"Hey, what're YOU doing 'ere, little girl? How'd you find us?"_

_"Um…I'm lost, mister clown. I can't find my mommy and daddy."_

_"Hey, boys…this here girl's lost! Why don't we take her with us…the cops wouldn't dare try anything if we got ourselves a hostage!" Tahra shuddered. These clowns weren't being funny, that was for sure. She started to back away_

_The two larger clowns nodded in agreement with their boss, and one of them blocked her exit while the other pulled out a gun and pointed a gun at her head and chuckled. "This ain't no gag gun, girly…with one pull of da trigger, I can make sure you'll never see your mommy and daddy ever again! Do as da boss says, and maybe you'll see 'em again."_

_Tahra, out of sheer fear, didn't make a move or a sound. One of the big clowns grabbed her, the other grabbed a safebox (which she later learned was full of money) and all three dashed out of the tent. As soon as Tahra was out in the open, she screamed for help at the top of her lungs. The clown carrying her immediately stuck the gun against her head. _

_The three quickly bound Tahra's arms and legs and gagged her, tossed her into the back of the car. She could hear the sounds of security guards obviously searching for her. Apparently they saw the clowns getting away and gave chase on foot._

_The leader started cackling at the futility of the guard's pursuit. It was a high-pitched and wild cackle, like a hyena's laugh. As he spoke, the leader couldn't stop laughing._

_"Hehehehehe! Look at em, boys! Ha-ha, they're never gonna catch us now!"_

_The laughing kept going on and on…it was beginning to sear itself into her mind…and finally the sound of a gunshot…_

Tahra awoke suddenly in a sweat. As she looked around in the blackness, she could hear Sonic's breathing from the other bed. She held her head, trying to shake off the vision. This was not the first time she had it…and yet it still scared her out of her wits. She reached down under her bed and felt around. When she had found her shoes, she began to take off the leather straps that bound the two white rings on each one. As Tahra clasped them, a feeling of peace and warmth flowed over her, bringing her back to sleep. She slept peacefully for the rest of the night…


	26. Chapter 26: Saving the Hammerer

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

**Author's Note**: Time for another Amy chapter. I seriously need to do a SonAmy if I'm going to win more loyal readers. There may be one in the future, but I still need to finish this fic. And again, I'd like to see some more fan art! I'm considering starting an entirely new email account just so you can send me such things.

-- -- -- -- -- --

It was nighttime, as far as Amy knew. How she was able to discern the time of day when she couldn't see the sun at all seemed like a miracle to her. The only other indicator of this was the activity in the city; more guards seemed to be coming out for their night shifts. As Amy lay back on the bed Helga had set up for her, she suddenly heard a long, mournful and slurring wail coming from the back of the house…and it sounded like Sven.

She was able to peek out a small window above her bed, which gave her a view into the front yard. Sven was indeed out there in the yard, on his knees sobbing. There was a large barrel next to him. To Amy's disturbed amazement, the mole hefted the barrel into his hands, and put it to his mouth and began to drink something from it. Now she understood why he was the town drunk. He was grieving for someone, and that someone was buried outside in the back. She had remembered him having the stains of alcohol on his shirt. Amy knew she had to help him…but the effect too much alcohol had on people was far too real for her.

But against her better judgment, Amy went up the stairs and out in the back, where Sven was sitting, sobbing and slurring over the grave. Now she could understand what his moans were:

"Oh, me littleisht one." That's all he could say. Amy carefully tried to put her hand on his shoulder. But the mole seemed to be aware of her, even in his inebriated state, and he whirled around. Now back on his feet, he stood there menacingly, swaying back and forth.

"What're ye doing 'ere, mishy?" he slurred. "Can't ya shee I'm having me alone time?"

"Sven…what the hell are you doing to yourself?"

"Can't a man have shome drinksh by himshelf without shome girl dishturbing her?"

"Tell me what's wrong…"

"I ain't tellin' ya nothin, ya pink pesht…"

Amy knew that Sven would be impossible to reason with in this state. Helga would probably know something about all this, so she decided to ask her…

-- -- -- -- -- --

"He's been doing this for how long?" Amy exclaimed when Helga told her what was happening with Sven. It seemed that he had lost a beautiful young daughter, and was so torn with grief that he had forgotten just about everything else. His only escape…was alcohol.

Helga sighed. "It's been almost fifteen years since my firstborn died…and he still can't stop. It's normal for our warriors to have a drink or two every day…but Sven's been drinking nine or ten in one round. He's not always sad like he is tonight…sometimes he'll come home and threaten to beat me, or he'll break something. I fear it won't be long before he drinks himself to death."

"Have you tried anything to curb this habit?"

"The only way he'd stop is for her to rise from the grave and tell him to. But that'll never happen. But I'm glad you're so concerned for my Sven…but don't let it bother your head. Sven's my headache, not yours."

"What about your son? How does Sven treat him?"

"You mean Urdan? Sven doesn't even know he exists. He was too busy grieving for the firstborn to see me give birth to the boy."

"And you haven't decided to separate from Sven? What makes you stay with him?"

"I'm not sure really…he's just my Sven, that's all. You should get back to bed…you're here to defend the village, yah?"

Amy nodded slowly. She gave Helga a pat on the back and returned to her room.

-- -- -- -- --

As Amy opened the door, a weird presence suddenly seemed to make itself known to her, simply by reducing the temperature of the room. While one part of her was surprised by this strange development, she couldn't help but feel that this was to be expected.

Amy sat herself on the bed and assumed her meditative pose. If this presence was who she thought it was, then surely the solution to Sven's problem was far closer than she thought. Once again, she returned to the grayscale world of her minds' eye. Sure enough, hovering in the center of the room was a small, mole-shaped blob of cosmic energy. To Amy's surprise, the blob seemed to take on a clearer form. Now she could discern features on the spirit…it was definitely Sven's firstborn daughter…she appeared to be no more than five or six years old.

"_Hello," _Amy said to the ghost via telepathy. The ghost seemed happy when she was greeted.

"_So someone CAN see me! I'm so happy!" _the ghost squealed. _"Do you know me?_"

"_Yes…and your daddy is killing himself with ale. You may be the only one who can stop him."_

The ghost's expression turned very sad. _"Daddy…I want him to stop…I've tried, but he can't see or hear me! Can you help me?"_

"_If there's anything I can do…just say it."_

"_The only thing I can think of is for you to speak for me."_

Amy seemed to realize what this little mole was getting at. The only way she could do that was to possess her briefly…and the dragon demon was already occupying her, with Alneetha as well. If the Mark of Penitence could suppress a powerful draconic spirit, what chance would the ghost of a little mole girl have of controlling her? It seemed hopeless to save Sven. But she did have one last idea…

"_Alneetha?"_

"_You need me, young one?" _the dragon spirit asked.

"_I want to help someone who is going to die from too much ale…"_

"_It's a terrible way to go, but very common for moles."_

"_Anyway, the only way I could think to save him was to let the spirit of his daughter, the one who drives him to drink, beg him to stop using my own mouth."_

"_Ah, but the Mark of Penitence would prevent anything like that. This is quite a predicament, but the solution would require the bending of one's ethics."_

Amy was confused. _"Bending ethics?"_

"_Yes. What you are doing is for a good cause, is that not true?"_

"_Yeah…"_

"_And the Mark of Penitence only prevents possession for evil reasons."_

Amy finally understood. _"I see what you're getting at…there's no problem then!"_

"_Yes. But you must ensure that she has no evil motives."_

"_The only way to prove it would be for her to make the attempt. If she did have bad intentions, she wouldn't be able to perform the possession."_

"_I trust in your judgment, young one."_

Amy's spiritual conscious returned, and she had her answer.

"_Okay…I'm pretty sure you can do it. You sure this is all you want?"_

"_I want to leave this world…It's pretty lonely when you're dead and stuck in the living world."_

"_We'll do it tomorrow, okay?"_

"_Okay. Thanks…um…Amy, right?"_

"_Yeah. Hang in there."_

-- -- -- -- --

The next evening, Amy had gathered Sven and his family around the gravestone in the back. They all wondered what the hedgehog was up to.

"Okay, everyone…" Amy began, "Call me crazy, but I've managed to contact the spirit of your firstborn. She has so much to say to everyone, especially you, Sven."

Sven was in a particularly strong state of disbelief. "Me littlest one…no, that's impossible! She can't say anything…she's dead! This is just some confounded attempt to make me forget 'er!"

Amy didn't need to retort to this statement. All she did was sit down with her back to the gravestone, and waited. It wasn't long before she could feel the little spirit's presence. After a moment or two, the ghost drifted into her, and soon the spirit was beside her in her mind. Amy had since learned the girl's name, and addressed her by it.

"_Okay…Tefi…it's all you. Just don't try anything funny."_

"_I promise I won't. I'll be a good girl." _Amy stood aside, and let Tefi take control. In the realm of the living, Amy's eyes shifted from green to a pale blue and she stood up.

"Daddy, is that you?" Tefi said with Amy's mouth, but her own voice. Helga's fur seemed to stand up on end, and Sven dropped to his knees in tears. The son simply took a few steps back.

"Me little Tefi! I can't believe me ears…or me eyes!"

"Daddy…I've been trying to talk to you for fifteen years now. But I couldn't…not until now at least. I have so much to tell you."

"Tell me everythin'!" Sven sobbed.

"Daddy…I know you love me, but you need to start loving yourself too. That's what you told me when I was made fun of by the other kids. How could you forget your own words of wisdom?"

"I can't love myself when I'm the one who let you die! How can you love me when I was too cowardly to save you? No cowardly man is worthy of love!"

Amy hugged Sven lovingly. "I forgive you…and love you. The only person you can't win forgiveness from is yourself. Daddy…I want you to stop drinking ale to forget me. You forgot everyone else too." As Sven began contemplating this, the ground began to shake, and the sounds of hollers and bells rang forth from the bell tower. All seemed to know what that meant…the enemy had broken through.

"Daddy…the worms who killed me are back…don't take out your grief out on yourself…if you have to beat up someone, fight the monsters! You'll help protect everyone else too."

Sven sighed and rose. "Tefi…yer right. Fer too long I've been beat'n meself up for what those worms did! I'm gonna give those monsters a real thrashin'! Fer you and fer everyone else! And if I survive this day, nevermore shall a drop of ale pass me lips! Helga, get rid of those kegs of ale! Where's my hammer! I'll make those worms pay!"

Amy smiled, inside and out. "Thank you, Daddy. I'm glad that you could hear me. Now I can rest peacefully. I'm giving control back to Amy now. Goodbye, Daddy. Bye, Mommy."

"We'll miss you, little Tefi," Helga sniffled. Amy's eyes closed, and reverted to their normal color, showing that she was back in control of her body.

"So…are you ready, Sven?" Amy asked.

"Am I ready, ya ask? Just get me my hammer, and I'll smash 'em all! Sven the Hammerer has no more regrets!" Amy smiled. Sven had taken that first step to freedom from ale, but he still had a long road to full recovery, as healthy as he seemed. But still, it was a big step.

-- -- -- -- -- --

The melee had already begun when Amy and Sven reached the front lines. About sixty-eight mole warriors, armed with axes, hammers and swords were holding their own against a veritable tide of orange, slimy freaks. One unlucky warrior might have met his end from four worms crawling over him, had Sven not leapt to the rescue, smashing his trusty sledge right into the creature, killing it instantly. The warrior was then able to push away the three and continue the melee.

"Well, if it isn't Sven, the town…" the warrior started to say

"Not anymore, comrade," Sven interrupted. "I'm Sven, one of the Grand Mole's elites! Let me at those freaks!" Sven tossed himself at another group of worms, bashing their heads to bits.

Amy, meanwhile, was doing battle with seven worms on her own. Her fists and feet were spinning wildly, sending worm after worm flying away. But still they kept coming. Soon she was overwhelmed, and seemed to be buried in them. As she tried to deal to push them off, she could feel Alneetha's presence growing. It figured that she wanted to try something…

"_Remember the power you used against Ragozine?"_

"_Do you think we can do it here?"_

"_It is not derived from the Chaos Emeralds…"_

"_Say no more!"_

In a flash of light, and a burst of wind, the worms flew off of Amy, who had assumed her armored form, wings and all. All the worms stopped what they were doing to see what was happening, as did the warriors. With a few wing beats, Amy was airborne and hovering over the crowd.

"Fire in the hole!" Amy hooted. In a most unladylike way, she opened her mouth wide, and just like the dragon that infused her with power, shot several fireballs out of her mouth. These orbs of flame burst like bombs, sent scores of worms scattering in the explosions. She was careful not to harm any moles, and was successful, though she seemed to give the warriors quite a scare. She wouldn't be able to do it again for quite some time, but the shots she made were worth it.

But her moment of glory did not last long, when another uninvited guest came blasting through the rock wall. It wasn't a worm, but a black beetle-like creature with fiery streaks of red, yellow and orange on its legs and back. Its compound eyes were as white as diamonds, and its pinchers were at least half as long as it was.

_Ah…this must be the boss of these freaks, _Amy said to herself,_ Time to get down to business_. The beetle boss screeched loudly, preparing to face this tiny but powerful foe who had dared to blast its minions apart, and these moles who would defy the march of the Judgment…


	27. Chapter 27: One Friend Replaces Another

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

**Author's Note: **Yay! 100+ reviews! Thankies! In other news, ScarletEbon does it again! Six killer new arts, including Tails/Milos (both young and adult forms), Sonic, Shadow, Cream, and even Eclipse are now up. I liked her art so much that it will become the official design for the characters in my fiction! More are on the way! Here's a hint: samurai angels.

-- -- -- -- --

Shadow was very full of himself. After a race of ten minutes at speeds upwards of 700 miles per hour, he had beaten Jet by a few paces to the base of the mountain. The two had left a small swath of destruction from breaking the sound barrier. The race had taken them almost 120 miles from their starting position. He watched Jet, who seemed very humiliated, dismount from his board.

"Well…that was certainly a great race…too bad you lost," Shadow gloated.

"There's no need to rub it in," Jet grumbled. "By the way…I think we forgot something…"

A few seconds later, the low sound of screaming came from the distance. It slowly grew louder and louder, and soon it was apparent of the owners of the voices…Raiden and Espio. Another second passed, and it was soon clear why they were screaming: Raiden had been attached to the board by a rope, while Espio was hanging on the bottom of it for dear life. The board slowed to a stop, while Shadow and Jet watched with raised eyebrows. Espio quickly got off and ran behind Shadow, whimpering. Raiden seemed to be in a state of shock as well.

"Zeipha…you damn numbskull!" Jet cried. "What gave you that idea? Those two could have been killed by your reckless act!"

"What? They're alive, aren't they?" Zeipha replied with a shrug. "They aren't even injured."

"Physically…m-maybe…" Raiden stammered. "B-but I think my h-heart stopped."

"I'm sure the mental shock will wear off in a day or two," Zeipha said.

Jet decided not to respond to this. "Now that everyone is back together…I suppose we can ascend to the colony…that is, if everyone _wants _to."

Espio managed to calm himself before answering. "Yes…we should hurry. Time is of the essence, you know. The faster we get this over with, the faster I can get away from that maniac…"

"Hey! Who are you calling a maniac!" Zeipha exclaimed.

-- -- -- -- --

"Thanks for letting me stay at your place, Jet," Shadow said as he sat back on one of Jet's plush couches. "If this is supposed to be some sort of prize for me winning the race, then I guess its fine."

Jet was still in a bit of a bad mood, so he snapped at him for his perceived insult. "Fine! FINE! I've used all of my hard-earned racing money to build the jewel of the colony, and all you can say is that it's FINE? I oughta…"

"Calm down there…" Shadow replied. "I didn't mean to insult you. You're a great racer, and this is a great home. I'm actually jealous of it."

Jet calmed down, now that his ego had been repaired. "I was hoping you meant that. So, I assume you're here to see the Master Hawk…I can get you in really easy."

"Don't tell me…you're his son…" Shadow quipped sardonically.

"No…but you're close. I'm his nephew, and the only relative he's got left."

"What happened to the others? They're dead, aren't they?"

"You must be psychic or something!" Jet said with a bit of astonishment. "Well, yes. Those angels are hunting us hawks down for sport. The leader of this particular group is a sportsman…though not a sporting one, pardon the pun."

"So…I suspect that's what they'll ask me to do…beat the crap out of the hunter. Why did I have the feeling that was my task? Isn't there anything I can do besides fight someone? I know they're soulless creatures and all…"

"They do have prisoners. Those angels capture anyone they can…and how they accomplish their hunts is unknown to me." Jet became enraged. "What we do know is that they won't stop until every last hawk in this colony is _stuffed and mounted on their walls_!" Jet slammed his fist into the wall he was leaning against.

"I'd say that's a good reason to stop them. But what about Zei…"

"She can't come along. She's way too inexperienced. Those other two may also get in the way."

Shadow seemed a little angry that Jet had disregarded any show of competence in his friends, but couldn't argue with his feelings about Zeipha. Though the girl seemed capable enough, her clumsiness proved otherwise. Jet seemed to have good judgment in this case.

"Okay, we'll go with that," Shadow replied.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"You want to do WHAT?" Shadow exclaimed, nearly falling over when he heard what Zeipha had wanted of him that night. They were both in her little workshop. It was surprisingly well-equipped and advanced, considering the isolation of the place. She was obviously Jet's mechanic, judging by the plethora of unusual looking parts.

"I want to get a look at your shoes…the only way you could have beaten Jet was if your shoes were made for speed. Can you take them off for me?"

Shadow was unsure of what to do. He had never taken off his shoes before…was it that they were attached to his feet, or had he just not bothered to take them off? To make sure that they weren't attached, he reached down and tried to squeeze his fingers into the side of his shoes. With a bit of a relief, he managed to feel something in his shoes…he did have feet, after all. After looking at his shoes for a bit, Shadow removed his footwear, and for the first time in his life, got a good look at his bare feet...but it wasn't long before he was interrupted by the hawk's ecstatic screech of amazement.

"SHADOW! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW YOUR SHOES WORK!"

"Um…not really…" Shadow replied with a shrug. "I think it involves cushions of air…"

"Shadow…your shoes are _miniature wind-riders_! The only non-hawk who knows how to use that is…Professor Gerald Robotnik! You're _Project _Shadow, aren't you?"

_Geez…the Professor really got around, _Shadow thought._He even knew hawks_.

Shadow tried to make like he wasn't truly surprised. "Yeah…I'm him. I'm surprised you figured that out. But, is that why you called me here?"

"Yes…but that's not the only reason. I've just managed to create my own version of these…but I'm pretty sure it's flawed. With these, I can perfect them! Thanks, Shadow!" She turned away and began tinkering with the shoes. After a few awkward moments of silence, Shadow felt like he had to answer.

"Uh…you're welcome…so…can I have my shoes back now? I feel very uncomfortable without them..."

"Just a minute…yeah! There we go!" Zeipha returned Shadow's shoes to him. With great relief, Shadow returned the footwear to its proper place. They felt different, and were a little higher. Before Shadow could ask what Zeipha had done with them, she told him.

"I added a feature that will pretty much let you remain airborne as long as you can draw in air…just like an actual wind-rider. In short, you can pretty much fly now. Pretty neat, huh?"

"Sure…I guess," Shadow replied before turning to leave. "I should be getting back to Jet's place."

Zeipha sighed. "Okay…bye…"

-- -- -- -- --

_There it is_, Eclipse said to himself as he stood a distance from the Zephyr Colony. _I can sense him…Shadow is there. It's time for him to know of me…_

"Eclipse…is that correct?" Omega said. "Shadow is mine. You have no business with him."

Eclipse groaned. "Ah, shut it, you bucket of bolts. Can't you hunt someone else?"

"I am currently set to seek and destroy Shadow. But it seems that neither you nor I are willing to give up our mission. Perhaps an alliance is in order."

Eclipse grunted before answering. "…An alliance? Bah. I work alone. If you really want to take him on, be my guest. Can I at least watch the carnage?"

"You may…as long as you stay out of my way." Omega opened his mechanical wings and sped off toward the colony. Eclipse grinned, and used Chaos Control to warp to Omega's location. It was going to be fun watching the robot get scrapped. After all, Eclipse knew everything Shadow could do.

-- -- -- -- --

Omega touched down just outside the mansion where Shadow was staying. Without caring whether he would be noticed, the robot aimed at a window and began to open fire from his machine gun arm, blasting through the mansion's wall like a knife through butter. He would complete his mission, no matter the cost. Then again, Nazo did love destruction, so he figured that indiscriminate attacking would be as fine as a single shot.

Shadow, having heard Omega before the attack started, bounded out of one of the windows, and landed on a nearby rooftop. The robot's firing continued, and one by one, lights from within the homes of other hawks started turning on, wondering what the hubbub was.

_Great…I can't have these innocents die_, Shadow said to himself. He quickly began to run away from the colony so that his pursuer wouldn't cause extra damage. As he came to an opening, Shadow decided to test the new addition to his shoes. He bounded off one last rooftop. The rush of air pushed him forward…and upward a little. That clumsy hawk was a genius!

After a few minutes of running, Shadow felt like he had fled a safe distance, and stopped. His pursuer reached him, but stopped several feet away.

"It's you, Omega," Shadow sighed. "I've been expecting your arrival…"

"I have hunted you for many days. Lord Nazo wants you dead."

"Omega…it doesn't have to be this way. We're friends, remember?"

The robot did not stir from this comment, but only pointed his gun-hand at Shadow. "That was in the past. The only thing that matters is here and now. And presently…you will perish!" Omega began firing off his gun arm like crazy. Shadow managed to dodge the bullets, but not without a bit of difficulty. Eventually, Shadow knew that he had to go on the attack if he was to survive the night.

Unfortunately, that's what Omega had hoped Shadow would do. As the hedgehog got close enough, Omega used his other claw to grab him by the throat. The robot then hoisted Shadow high, and changing his machine gun into some sort of laser cannon.

"So…this is who the so-called Ultimate Life Form meets his end," Omega gloated. "I was hoping you would have been more of a challenge. It's a shame that Mark keeps you from using your strongest abilities. But, a kill is a kill."

Shadow, even in this situation, still had a few tricks up his sleeve. He raised his feet at Omega's face, and shot a strong blast of air at them. It wasn't enough to damage the robot, but it was enough to stagger him. Omega released his grip as he fell backward. Shadow took this brief window of opportunity to lay a beating on his former mechanical friend.

Despite his reduced power, Shadow had only moderate difficulty pounding Omega around. His fists were able to dent even the strongest parts of his opponent's armor plate, and a few hits managed to actually puncture the weaker parts of the plate. In a matter of mere seconds, Shadow had managed to turn the tables in his favor, leaving Omega's body broken…but his tenacity was not phased.

He opened his various armor plates, and shot off a shower of missiles. But even this could not stop Shadow. Instead, he dodged through most of them, and grabbed one in each hand, and sent them right back at the robot, hitting with deadly accuracy. When the smoke cleared, Omega was still there, but now he was sparking in several places, and part of his head had been blown off, exposing his CPU. Omega was now struggling to stand up, but the determined glow in his eyes still remained.

Shadow was starting to pity the poor robot. He wanted to fulfill his program so badly that it seemed nothing would keep from doing it, save being blown to pieces. As Omega lurched toward him, Shadow tried reasoning with him again.

"Omega, I beg you to stop this senseless fight! I know you're not one to give up, but I really don't want to destroy you."

"I…will…beat you…Sha…dow…" Omega spurted. With a great deal of effort, Omega raised his laser cannon arm, and charged it up. Shadow knew that Omega would cause immense damage to anything the laser hit, and rushed toward him in an effort to divert the laser. Just as the blast fired, Shadow managed to knock Omega's arm straight up, causing the cannon to fire harmlessly straight up.

The crazed robot, however, was not so lucky. The recoil from the blast had literally torn off the cannon arm from its place. When the laser dispersed, Omega was on his back, his legs crushed, one arm torn off and the other barely functioning. Shadow was singed a little, but was otherwise fine. As Shadow stared at the broken body of his former friend, he had only a few last words to say.

"I'm sorry, old friend. I'm sorry I had to break you…I wish I didn't have to do that…Omega...my old friend." Shadow went around to Omega's head, and grabbed the CPU chip.

"Goodbye…" was the last thing Omega heard before Shadow snapped the CPU in half…


	28. Chapter 28: Demon Arrivals

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

**Author's Note**: Wow. ScarletEbon is pumping out fan art faster than I can produce chapters! Slow down there! Anyway, I think we finally meet a few more villains…but not in the way one might expect. Read and see.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Tahra's peaceful morning did not last long. About an hour after she woke up, she heard Sonic begin groaning and grunting in his sleep. His eyes then shot open and he literally rushed out of his bed, ramming into the wall, only bracing himself with his fists. Quickly, Tahra managed to race into the nearby rooms where the others were sleeping. When they had all gathered, Sonic was still there, banging the wall with a fist, and screaming in pain.

"Tails, what the hell is going on?" Knuckles exclaimed. "Is this your doing?"

"No…Sonic is doing it by himself," Tails replied. "He's forcing the evil out…or trying."

Sonic suddenly dashed past the group and jumped out the window, landing in the courtyard. As the others watched, the hedgehog seemed to exert one final effort…and with one last great cry into the night, forced something right out of his back…it was Armeil, who managed to cease his momentum.

The others quickly came out of the window themselves to guard the fatigued Sonic. Armeil, meanwhile, brushed himself off and perused the crowd.

"Well, that was certainly a surprise…" the seraph quipped.

"Armeil…we meet again face to face…" Tails said in a hostile manner. When Armeil finally recognized the transformed shape of his former ally, he was aghast.

"…Milos! So you _have_ betrayed me, just as the master whispered! How dare you side with these sinful ones…what drove you to this foolish act…oh, wait…I do! In fact, the master said that we've taken care of that little problem."

Tails knew what Armeil meant, and became enraged. "You…you took Cream, didn't you, you bastard! Where is she?"

"Maybe you should ask my new alter ego…" Armeil said with a grin. In a flash of grey light, Armeil changed into the shape of Leawdak, one of Nazo's brothers. Meanwhile, Sonic finally managed to stand up, and assumed his usual stance and expression of righteous indignation.

"So you're the one who was using my body as your destructive puppet!" Sonic said angrily, pointing at the demon. "You'll pay for that! And what have you done with Cream!"

"If you must know, your little bunny friend is in my personal fortress of splendor, Dess-Arlotah. If you want to rescue her, I suggest you hurry along and get Excalibur. My minions will…well, that's for me to know, and for you to find out…until we meet again, my furry friends…toodles!"

Tails was about to attack Leawdak, but the demon teleported far away, leaving the group standing there in the dim light of the rising sun. Before anyone else could react, Sonic noticed something, and was amazed by it.

"Hey! The Mark is gone! How about them apples!"

Tahra glanced at Sonic's arm, and scratched her head in confusion. "I don't understand…he didn't even get the first blessing yet! How could it have just disappeared?"

Tails looked over the arm. "No…it's still there. It only glows when someone possesses Sonic. Even so, it looks like things might be a little easier. With the demon out of Sonic's body, he would have access to some cosmic-energy based abilities. But the Super form is still out of the question." Sonic sighed in disappointment.

"I guess I couldn't get out of it that easily. But I guess it's nice to really have my body back. And since its dawn, I suppose we should head out to the gate to the realm of Kidda-Zu…ah, you know who I'm talking about. And don't worry, Tails…err…Milos…we'll rescue Cream as soon as possible."

-- -- -- -- -- --

Shadow was feeling very ill all of a sudden. Almost moments after defeating Omega, a sharp pain suddenly began to spread on Shadow's back, knocking him down. His body seemed to start hemorrhaging as time went on, as if something trapped inside of him was forcing its way out.

Unbeknownst to Shadow, Zeipha had decided to follow him, and found the hedgehog in this state of pain. Instinctively she ran up to him, and tried to help him stand. Then she noticed the Mark of Penitence on his arm, which was now flashing very quickly, and dropped him.

"Shadow…what's going on…" the hawk said hesitantly as she backed away. The hedgehog slumped onto his knees, and grabbed his head quills. His head began swaying back and forth, as if he was trying to shake something off. This continued for a minute or two, before, just as Sonic did, he expelled the evil that had taken control of him. This time it was Black Doom.

"What in the…" Black Doom said, astonished. He rushed back toward Shadow's body, but a green barrier blocked his reentry. Zeipha looked up, puzzled at what had just happened.

"Grrr…curse that Mark…" the demon growled. Shadow soon managed to get up, and faced his old foe. Zeipha was still confused.

"Black Doom…finally, I'm free of you. Now I'm going to make you pay for using me!" Shadow managed to gather some cosmic energy into a ball…the Chaos Spear. Shadow wasn't sure how he managed to do it, but he wasn't going to question a good thing.

"Chaos…Spear!" Shadow heaved the orb, which stretched into an arrow, hitting Black Doom square in the chest, but doing relatively little damage. Black Doom was certainly annoyed, though.

"You…so, some of your power is returning. But it matters not. As I am, you are no real challenge to me…or to my alter ego, at least." Black Doom waved his hand, and began to transform. By the time it was all done, the form of Enhillatu towered over Shadow and Zeipha, who was now extremely freaked out.

"Sh-shadow…wh-who is this guy…"

But before Shadow could answer, the creature laughed deeply.

"You obviously do not know me, young hawk. Know my name and tremble…I am Enihillatu, ruler of the Black Arms! I would love to stay and chat, but I must be off now. Shadow…we shall face each other when you have Masamune…IF you can get it. You might find that you'll turn out to be your own worst enemy."

With that, Enihillatu took wing and warped away as Armeil had done. Shadow was left to puzzle over the demon's parting statement. As he did, the rising sun briefly revealed the location of Eclipse, and Shadow momentarily saw him before the fake slipped away into the shadows.

_I must have been hallucinating_…Shadow reassured himself before turning back toward the colony, with Zeipha behind him. But he stopped for a minute.

_If I can use the Chaos Spear…_Shadow reasoned, _then maybe_…

"Chaos…Control!"

Shadow disappeared, and soon found himself back at Jet's home. Jet was sobbing over his destroyed house.

"Uh…Jet…"

"CAN'T YOU SEE I'M GRIEVING?" Jet moaned. Shadow rolled his eyes. Maybe Jet wasn't as competent as he seemed. Perhaps Shadow was going to have to fly solo after all. But soon Jet had turned around and stopped Shadow.

"Sorry about that," Jet said, trying to conceal the obvious fact that he was actually grieving over a material possession, "I didn't know it was you. I hope you gave the creep who did that a good thrashing."

"Yeah…I beat him." Shadow said dejectedly. "Let's go, before anyone knows we're leaving."

-- -- -- -- --

_Cream…what did you get yourself into? _Cream said to herself as she paced around her cell. She had been captured by the Judgment and taken to some unknown fortress. She had overheard stories of the female prisoners being used for the angels' pleasure, which disturbed her a lot. As she pondered this, she overheard an exchange between two angels. From what she could tell, they were changing their post. As the new guard took his post, Cream was surprised to see that a rabbit, adorned with wings and the typical low-ranking garb, a white jacket and pair of pants similar to the human samurai she had read in schoolbooks, had taken the job.

_I thought all of the angels looked like humans_, Cream wondered. _Maybe I was wrong…or I wasn't paying good enough attention_. She watched the guard. He moved much less mechanically than the others, and seemed to have some life in his eyes. She wondered if this one had some remnant of a soul left. As the guard came up to her cell, he stopped and turned toward her. She shied away from him.

"Well now, what do we have here? I haven't seen a lot of rabbits around here."

"What do you want from me?" Cream asked nervously. She feared the worst, but was surprised to see the guard lean on his spear casually.

"…Nothing much, actually. Just let me look at you."

Cream turned toward the guard, and let him look at her. Surprisingly, the angel's expression was not one of lust, but of scientific examination. She wondered if this angel was really what he seemed. He spent about twenty seconds doing this.

"I'd say you're good." Cream recoiled in horror. Any glimmer of hope of the winged rabbit's possible decency seemed to disappear, but then Cream heard what he had to say next.

"You'll be perfect for Lord Leawdak's personal dance troupe. He was in need of a rabbit to round out the diversity, and you fit perfectly."

"Dance…troupe?" Cream asked.

"For some reason, Leawdak is a big dance fanatic, and thinks virgins are the best dancers, so he won't let anyone have them for their pleasure…even he won't touch them. You lucked out big time. I just hope you can shake your hips well enough to stay on the troupe."

"I don't know if I can…"

"Then, as a fellow rabbit, let me offer you this friendly advice…learn how fast. If you don't, you'll be thrown to the guards. They're real beasts, and few victims survive one 'session'."

Cream nodded uneasily. "Uh…thanks." The guard winked and continued his patrol. Cream knew what she had to do. Facing a full-length mirror, she took a deep breath, and began to teach herself the art of the seductive dance…it was her only hope of possibly staying alive long enough to reunite with Milos…

-- -- -- -- --

"Lord Nazo!" the hyena warlord yelped with surprise when he found Nazo in his hut. "What brings your Lordship to my humble home?"

"General Krynku…you and your kind have served my cause faithfully for ages. I once again ask for the service of your kind. It will be in the interest of the rest of all hyenas as well. It is time for you to strike the hedgehogs a mortal blow that will topple them to the ground"

"We are no match for them right now. We have insufficient military force to overcome them."

"You will be provided for," Nazo replied. He produced a black crystal from thin air, and handed it to Krynku. "Do you know of the pedestal in the center of your village? Place the crystal in the center, and everything will be made ready for you. The ancient weapons and mechanical servants used in ages past by the servants of Geddon are there. I only ask for one thing in exchange."

"Name it, my lord."

"There is a jet-black katana on a pedestal somewhere in the hoard. I must have that blade…for my own reasons."

Krynku nodded. "…The dark blade Murasame…of course, my lord!"

He dashed out of his hut, and stopped at the pedestal in the center of the village. A small crowd had gathered, one of them having overheard the conversation between their leader and Nazo.

"My fellow hyenas…we have been given a gift by the great Nazo! This crystal is the key to our revenge against our mortal enemies, the hedgehogs! Behold!" Krynku slammed the crystal into the slot and stood back. The ground shook momentarily, and then the pedestal began to form into a spiral staircase. The crowd began their traditional cackling cheer, sounding like an army of demented clowns.

"Follow me, my bretheren! There is but one item you may not take, but the rest shall be yours!" Krynku began down the stairs, and his subjects followed in a line, eagerly awaiting the treasure trove of artifacts with which they would combat their foes.

In the ensuing chaos of the treasure hoard, Krynku managed to locate the black katana. He grabbed it, and along with any other relics he had taken. He returned to the surface, and presented Nazo, who waited at the top, with the black sword.

After examining the sword carefully, Nazo nodded with approval. "Very good, General Krynku...you have proven yourself. As a reward for your obedience, take this…" Nazo produced a black sword from thin air, just as he produced the crystal. The sword was crackling with dark purple energy.

"This sword is none other than Hexedge, the dark sword that challenged the legendary Excalibur. Use it well, for there is one who seeks to retrieve Excalibur…and if he does, he will surely strike at your kind, and wipe you out."

"I will not fail you, Lord Nazo!" Krynku said. Nazo disappeared, leaving the hyena general alone. Now alone, Krynku had to test his newest acquisition. A fly happened to buzz by. With a lightning-fast swing, he hit the fly…who simply imploded out of existence. Krynku began cackling wildly, his laugh ringing into the wasteland…


	29. Chapter 29: Two Down

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

**Author's Note: **Since Sonic and Shadow have expelled their corresponding demons…it's time for another Amy chapter! crowd cheers

-- -- -- -- --

"Had enough, Bugzilla?" Amy taunted as she finished yet another barrage of attacks on the beetle creature that was leading the worms. It was staggering around, scattering its minions about, and it seemed like it was about ready to be finished off. She found it to be more of a punching bag than an actual challenge, and seemed to have fun pulverizing the foul creature.

Eventually, she was starting to get bored, and decided to finish it off. Amy swooped to the monster's underside, and began to drill through it. It took only seconds for her to come out the other side, all gooey and messy, while the beetle finally toppled to the ground dead. Seeing their leader dead, the worms beat a hasty retreat. Seeing that victory was theirs, the warriors began to hoot ecstatically and toss their helmets up. Somehow, by a miracle, the moles suffered no casualties. Sven and Amy looked at each other, and the latter gave a thumbs-up before assuming her normal form.

Civilian moles began to peek out of their windows, and came out to greet the victorious warriors. Helga, with Sven's son behind her, raced out to greet Sven with a big hug. Even the son seemed happy for his father. As Amy watched this and other happy reunions, thoughts of Shadow returned to her, and her heart sunk. She felt empty again.

-- -- -- -- --

A party was in full swing several hours later, and Amy was the honored guest of the great celebration. She had received the blessing of the Grand Mole beforehand, but opted to stay. Most of the warriors were having drinks, but Sven managed (with some difficulty) to avoid having any alcohol, so he was relieved when Amy had asked him to go outside with him so they could talk. They sat outside for a while and talked. Eventually, Sven became curious about Amy's dark mood, and decided to ask her about it.

"You seem a little down, missy…care to tell ol' Sven what's bother'n ya?"

"Well, sometimes I feel that fate, chance, whatever you call it; it's conspiring against me. Have you ever felt that way?"

"Well, unless you count the loss of Tefi, not really," the mole replied. "Ya miss someone…a friend…a loved one perhaps? In these 'ard times, it seems like everyone's losin' family and friends left and right."

"That's not what I'm thinking of. In the months before this whole mess with the world ending got started, I was sure I had found my soul mate. I was on air, happier than I had ever been in my life. You had that feeling when you were younger, right, when you met Helga?"

"Yes…and no. We moles have arranged marriages, but in my case, she and I always had a thing fer one another anyway. So, I suppose the fella on yer mind is a real catch, ain't he? Tell me about him."

"Well, his name is Shadow…he used to be a bit of a jerk, but now he's kind, understanding, and, sometimes to a fault, protective. We started doing things together about…nine or ten months ago, I think. But then, those creeps in the Judgment interfered…and now I won't be able to see him again until I get Mjolnir. I really hate it, but I don't have a choice."

"Don't worry, Amy…I'll help ya!"

Amy seemed surprised. "But you have a wife and son…"

"Helga's a strong and intelligent woman. She'll be fine on her own. Helping you is the least I can do fer what ya did for me."

Amy smiled and was silent for a moment, when she heard a familiar voice call out to her.

"…Rouge?" Amy wondered out loud. Indeed, standing several yards away, were Rouge, Ribik and Nack, who had been looking for her.

"Well, well…if it isn't the little pink heroine!" Nack quipped. "Who's the ol' Red Bush with ya?"

"Who're ya calling Red Bush, ya dirty weasel!" Sven roared, indignant at a weasel speaking to him in such a way. "If I had me hammer, I'd…"

"Sven, these are my friends!" Amy protested.

The mole huffed at this. "You must be out of yer mind to befriend a weasel. But I suppose I can't limit who you befriend. These are yer traveling mates, it seems."

"Yeah," Nack replied. You better drop your stink'n prejudices if you wanna be in this here group."

"I suppose I can deal with a toad and a bat…but I'll be keeping an eye on you, weasel…"

Rouge finally interrupted this exchange of hostilities. "Now that we've found you, Amy, we've got the blessing of the toads here."

Ribik handed the medallion piece to Amy. "Here you go, Amy…I think you're familiar with the process." She nodded, and pressed the shard to her arm, then connecting the piece of the medallion to the part on the string, fusing it together.

"That's two down, one to go," Amy sighed with relief. Next up are the bats, right?"

"I've been to their Great Cave before," Sven said. "I can show ya the way, but we have to go back to the surface again…should be safe, though, with those worms gone. The main route to the surface should be open, so we can head up there tomorrow morn'."

-- -- -- -- --

The travel of the next day was relatively uneventful. Sven got to know the other members of the group better, and soon found Ribik to be a fine fellow. But the night was to bring about similar events that happened to Shadow and Sonic.

Amy awoke to a feeling of something clawing her from within, trying to rend its way out by force. Amy burst out of her tent, trying not to scream. Sven was on watch at the time, so he noticed this and woke the others, so they could find out what was exactly wrong with the girl.

They found Amy in a nearby stream, splashing herself with the cold water to try and numb the pain. But it only grew worse…she felt as if her entire body was about to explode, and finally, she screamed. From out of her back came a hedgehog in dragon bone armor…Ragozine, who slammed into a nearby tree in his trajectory.

"Well, that was certainly a nuisance," the dracomancer huffed as he dusted himself off. "I wonder if this is happening to my brothers."

"So you're that Ragozine character that Amy was talking about…" Rouge said indignantly.

"Oh, you must be her little friends…I'm surprised a weasel is working with you…weasels are such dirty creatures…"

Nack wasn't about to take this insult lying down. He pulled, seemingly out of nowhere, a large multi-rocket launcher, and set his sights on the fiend.

"Get outta my sight, bone-head," Nack warned, "or I'll blow you sky-high!"

Ragozine backed away, but not in fear. "Very well, I'm not exactly in the mood to fight anyway. Take heed that I am the Dark Dragon King...such weapons are mere children's toys to me. Tell Amy that I will wait for her patiently in the mountains far to the south, blocking the southern wastelands. If she gets the hammer that defeated me in an age gone by…I'll let her have a shot at me…until then, goodbye." The dracomancer disappeared with those words. Amy managed to stand up, but barely.

"The poor girl's pretty beat," Sven said. "Let's help her get her back to camp."

"No, (pant) I'm fine. I can do it myself."

-- -- -- -- --

"Sir…you have to pull through!" the hawk medic pleaded to a gravely injured Yakujo. Another raid by angels had caught the remnants of G.U.N. by surprise. Yakujo had been lucky for a while, but it had finally run out. Now he was on his death bed, and seemed angered by the futile attempts to keep him alive.

"Damn you, idiots…" he wheezed, "I'm beyond saving now…why do you even bother?"

"You're our commander…we won't let you die…"

"Pull out my IV…that's an order, soldier."

The medic paused, and did as he was told. He watched the hedgehog lean back and close his eyes. Yakujo's final thoughts were on the sister he had always known and cared for.

_Amy…little sis…it looks like your big brother isn't going to make it. I can feel it…a great burden has been put on the shoulders of you and your friends. Please, Amy…let not my death, or any other…happen in vain…_

Yakujo gave his last breath, and died with a look of silent dignity on his face. The life monitoring line went straight, and the long beep of death began. The hawk medic took off his hat, and with no holding back of tears, the medic saluted the corpse of his commander before covering the body in the sheet.

The body of Amy's brother may have been rendered useless, but the spirit of Yakujo still had work to do. The hand of Fate had deemed that he had more to do before the gates to the spirit world would open for him.

-- -- -- -- --

"_Another void…what does it mean?" Amy wondered as she hovered in a white void. "Normally the void is black…but this one is different…" _

"_Amy…" a voice came from the bright nothingness._

_Amy looked around but saw no one. "…Big bro? Is that you?" The form of Yakujo appeared, garbed in full uniform. Amy giggled and attempted to embrace her big brother, but even in her dream, she could not touch him. She immediately knew why._

"_Yakujo…how did this happen?"_

"_They say those who live by the sword die by the sword…looks like it applied to me."_

_Amy felt both heartbroken and enraged. "Damn you…you idiot…why'd you have to go and get yourself killed!"_

"_At least I died with honor…"_

"…_Honor? Dying from war wounds is never honorable! I know we all have to go sometime, but not like that!"_

"_Amy…let's drop this topic…and dry your tears. That's no way for a Chosen Hero to act. Suffering both physically and emotionally is all a part of your journey." Amy seemed surprised at this. Yakujo was never a history buff, so this was unlike him.  
"Uh…how did you learn that all of a sudden?"_

_Yakujo simply smirked. "The hand of fate is more real than you know. That's all. We'll meet again at Mjolnir's seal, okay, little sis? And say hi to Shadow for me, will you?" With that, Yakujo disappeared into the void, leaving Amy alone._

"_The hand of fate…weird…"_

"_The dead have great insight, do they not?" another voice said. Amy suddenly found herself on top of a giant pink dragon…Alneetha, her guardian spirit. The dragon queen turned her head. Instead of six eyes, two kind-looking eyes were looking at her._

"_Oh…hey there…you sure like this kind of stuff. Care to clarify what my brother said?"_

_The dragon chuckled a little. "Why should I tell you, young one? It's for YOU to discern. I can't lead you by the hand every step of the way."_

_Amy sighed. "You're right, I guess. Man, I hate it when you're right sometimes."_

"_Am I interrupting your dream, rose petal?" another familiar voice came…it sounded a lot like Master Khang. Amy groaned. She was wondering how many dead people were going to invade her dreams. But out of respect, she looked around for him and soon she met the old man._

"_Hello, sensei…" Amy said respectfully, but with a bit of sarcasm, "…news from the spirit world, I suppose?" The old man looked at Amy as if she was out of her mind, and then remembered what had happened. _

"_Well, as it turns out, little rose petal… I'm very much alive…"_

_Amy's jaw dropped open. She couldn't believe her ears, dream reality or not. Somehow, out of billions of humans in the world, old Master Khang had managed to survive the great human genocide._

_The old man laughed deeply, but started to cough again, just as he always did when he laughed too hard. Once the old man regained his breath, he continued._

"_I did come very close to meet Death's cold grip…but I hung on long enough to be found by a group of chameleon ninjas. They took me back to their home, and nursed me back to health. Why such reclusive beings would even approach me was a mystery. But they are noble souls at heart, I suppose."_

_Amy was amazed. "Wow, talk about luck."_

_The old man gave a look of disagreement. "I am not so sure it was luck. In my time hanging between life and death, I heard a voice, telling me that my time had not yet come…they mentioned that a student of mine would help bring about a new world order…one of goodness and justice. I know that you are that student of mine."_

_Alneetha, who had listened in silence, decided to join in. Her presence had went undetected by the old master, who jumped at the sight._

"_She has followed your lessons well. She and her friends shall not fail."_

"_Oh…my…you scared me, ancient one. I see you and Amy have bonded in a way."_

_Amy was now getting very annoyed, and burst in without the necessary politeness. "I'm getting bored now…and I'd like to wake up now!"_

And she did so…


	30. Chapter 30: A Realm of Fear

**Chapter Thirty**

**Author's Note**: I decided to drop the "book" system and go back to chapters. Anyway, we haven't done a real chapter with the blue blur in a while. And fear not, ShadAmy fans, the fluff you seem to want so much will continue soon enough. Be patient. Also, there is more than one survivor of the human race…

-- -- -- -- --

"_I am…alive?" _Ivo slowly came to, and found a disturbing face staring at him…when he looked again, it was his own! Part of his cranium (and his left eye) had been replaced with a cybernetic implant of some sort. As he tried to move his arms and legs, he couldn't feel his right arm…it had replaced with a robotic part as well. As he tried to figure out just what was happening, he heard another voice.

"Well, it looks like you came through after all, Doctor…" it said in a creepy, whine-like tone.

"Who…who are you! Where are you, might I ask as well!" the revived scientist bellowed.

"Ee-he-he-he! I am Geddon…as for where I am…I am right under your nose…everything you see around you is a small bit of me. My essence flows through you, and you will serve me without question."

The doctor was indignant. "I refuse to serve anyone! Nobody tells Ivo Robotnik what to do! I am my _own_ boss!"

"You ungrateful worm…" the voice scolded angrily, now changing to a deep roar. "I spend precious cosmic energy to revive your blubbery excuse for a body, and this is how you thank me…with DEFIANCE?"

The doctor feared that he would have face death again, but nothing happened.

"Oh…it gets them EVERY TIME!" the creepy voice cackled. "You should have seen the look on your face! Priceless"

The doctor was relieved. "Oh…so you're _not _going to kill me…"

The voice now changed again, to an ethereal version of a young man. "There are few minds as impressive as yours. Besides my four demons, none of my minions come anywhere close to my unfathomable intellect. It is impressive. Besides, I'm sure you have a vendetta with a certain blue hedgehog…"

"Yes! If it means the destruction of Sonic, I'll do anything you say!"

"Excellent…"

-- -- -- -- --

"That's weird…no guards." Tahra quipped as she peered at the massive, swirling portal. "This is way too easy. I'm sure there's an ambush or something. I hope you have that sword, Sonic."

Sonic tapped the sheathed blade that hung on his hip to confirm it before giving his own input. "If there's an ambush, I'm sure we can handle it. Even ol' Tails here could give them a good thrashing…"

"Technically, I could. But that would make things too easy. I think I'd rather serve as a distraction of sorts. If you really want to keep an eye on me, Knuckles can stay as well. It's simple…we lure the main force out of the portal, and you two slip by. It's simple enough. I managed to get some back-up as well."

"I'm getting impatient…" Knuckles grumbled. "Can we get started?"

With a nod, Tails marched out of the cover and stood next to the portal. He could feel the toxic atmosphere seeping out in tiny quantities, but as a powerful angel, he was not bothered. But he did have concern for Sonic and Tahra. Soon, one of the demons strode out of the portal, and stopped short, surprised to see a presumed ally standing in front of him. With a swift swipe of his hand, the fox seraph sent the grunt flying. More began pouring out at a stupendous rate, and now recognized that Milos had become their sworn enemy.

Knuckles and a hundred or more other echidna warriors then rushed out of cover and began to counter the river of fiendish soldiers. Milos soared above the fray, and began blasting the monstrous soldiers a few at a time, with quite a bit of satisfaction too.

Sonic and Tahra managed to avoid this frantic melee, and slipped through the portal. Sonic drew the ancient sword, and its holy light emanated out, shielding the two hedgehogs from harm.

-- -- -- -- --

The realm of Kifdra-Xu-Deen was a nightmarish one. The sky was entirely red, interrupted only by smog-black clouds. Black mountains rose on the horizon, and great gouts of flame shot out of cracks in the ground nearby. Skulls with bat wings flitted about in the sky. If any place was like hell…this fit the bill nicely.

The feature that dominated the area was an evil castle made of black rock, probably obsidian or something. It had to be the lair of the archfiend. It absolutely screamed "evil castle of doom" in the figurative sense.

"Talk about convenient…" Sonic quipped. "He's obviously not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Why would you place a portal to your world right next to your castle?"

"…Maybe so your troops don't have to walk for miles to get to the nearest portal?" Tahra answered, obviously poking gentle fun at Sonic's foolishness. With a groan, Sonic started off at a high speed, unwittingly leaving Tahra behind. Immediately, she grunted in pain, the caustic atmosphere starting to slowly eat away at her skin. Sonic quickly realized this, and turned back.

"Sorry, Tahra…I forget that I'm a lot faster than you…I'm really sorry."

"I'm okay Sonic…I wasn't exposed for very long. It really burns, though. I think I'm getting a bit of a rash…forget it, let's go."

-- -- -- -- --

The two set off in a slower way (but much faster than a human could, Tahra could easily run 150 miles per hour), taking pains to avoid being seen by any patrols. It wasn't long before they had reached the castle. They could now see that it was surrounded by a large lava moat.

"Geez…Kiffy sure lacks creativity," Sonic whispered. "I mean…lava? He could seriously do better. Even _Eggman _had more creative defenses." He didn't realize that Tahra was getting very annoyed at Sonic's pointless asides, but soon got the idea when she got a weak punch to the head.

"Okay…so how do we get in?" Sonic then wondered. "Those walls look pretty smooth…and the front gate is obviously out of the question…I wish we could just…"

As he said this, he felt an increased energy level behind him. When he turned around, it was Tahra, who had assumed her Super form, and had a broad smirk that screamed "In your face, sucker."

"Tahra…that is so annoying, and yet…so sexy; I forgot that you could do that."

"That's why I'm the smart one," Tahra replied somewhat arrogantly before picking Sonic up by his shoulders. "Now hang on tight." Tahra began floating upwards, and both searched for an open window. They found one about thirty feet up, and entered through there.

-- -- -- -- --

The interior of the castle was just as clichéd as the outside…dark, gloomy, arching halls with creepy paintings and ominous statues everywhere you looked. Both hedgehogs were starting to wonder just what they were up against. There were very few guards around, so the two wandered the castle in relative safety, in search of the archfiend's throne room.

As they rounded a corner, both encountered a tiny demon jester, all painted in white and red, and dressed in a black and red jester's outfit. Tahra immediately stopped short, and started shaking in fear. Memories of that incident came rushing into her mind…the very appearance of this unassuming jester terrified her down to the depths of her soul. Her reaction was rush in the other direction, headlong into the toxic air of the archfiend's realm.

"Tahra!" Sonic cried and started off after her, unsure of why she had suddenly took off. The jester, however, tittered with fiendish glee, and followed them. The two intruders had no idea of the power he possessed…he was a demon who instantly knew the deepest, darkest fears of any being he laid eyes on. Still, he was surprised that Tahra had reacted in such a manner tothis pipsqueak'svery presence.

Sonic eventually managed to find Tahra in one of the castle's dead ends, curled up the corner, shaking like a cold child. She was in tears, and it looked like the rash caused by the toxic atmosphere was spreading, and a few spots were actually become wounds. Sonic went up to her to cover her with the sword's protective field.

"Tahra…what's wrong?" he asked in a soothing tone.

"Make him go away…the scary clown…he'll kill us both…" Tahra mumbled. The sound of the clown demon's impish tittering rang out, and Tahra shrank even more into her phobic state. Sonic whirled around to see the Fool of Fear standing there.

"You…" Sonic said with his typical tone of righteous indignation, "What have you done to her, you wretch?"

"She took one look at me and bolted. My mere visage seems to make her afraid!"

"You don't scare me, you shrimp…I'm going to take you out real quick." Sonic readied the sword. But the jester was not intimidated in the least, and only cackled again. Tahra was now reduced to a whimpering, catatonic shell of her former self, and Sonic was now really angry."

"Stop tormenting her! Tell me who you are!"

"Me? Why, I'm Kifdra-Xu-Deen, archfiend of this realm! Never expected a lord of demons to be my size, did ya? I am also known as the Fool of Fear! Isn't that lovely, hmm?"

Sonic recoiled in surprise. This little runt was the terror that ravaged the echidnas…the one who nearly destroyed them…the archfiend…was a impish clown. Sonic might have been overconfident, but he wondered just what kind of terrible powers Kifdra possessed. He soon got a firsthand demonstration.

"I know what you fear…" the imp tittered. "Oh, yes indeed-y."

"Oh, really…tell me…what do I fear most?"

The imp simply raised his hand, palm facin Sonic, and with a snap of his fingers, a veritable tsunami rushed out, plowing headlong into the blue blur. And, just like with Tahra, Sonic's dark fear, in this case, of being underwater. He struggled helplessly in the water, and soon blacked out…

-- -- -- -- --

Sonic woke up to find that he was alive after all, and trapped in a dingy jail cell next to Tahra. But somehow, he wasn't being affected by the caustic atmosphere. He glanced over to see the sword sitting on a nearby table. Its aura extended through the bars, so both were safe. Tahra was huddled up in one of the corners again, but seemed okay. Sonic sat down next to her.

"Well, isn't this a fine mess we've gotten ourselves into…" Sonic sighed. "We got schooled by an eighteen-inch-tall imp in a jester's outfit."

"Sonic, about what happened…it's my fault. If I hadn't gotten all scared like that, we could have taken care of him right there…"

"Scared?" Sonic exclaimed. "You were downright terrified. These type of fears are rooted in a horrid memory…trust me on this one." Sonic got very close, and tenderly put his arms around Tahra, one just barely above her chest, the other carefully around her neck. In response, Tahra leaned on Sonic's shoulder. The movements came naturally to both of them, and it seemed to be a comfort to their souls.

"Now…tell me what happened…"

Tahra described that horrible memory…the clowns, the gun to her head, the laughing of their boss...all in terrifying detail. She finally admitted to him that she was absolutely terrified of anything relating to clowns...a full-blown phobia. Sonic listened with surprising serenity, nodding on occasion.

"Wow…I can see why you're so scared…well, I really don't like water. I can't stand being in more water than a filled bathtub. Total immersion gets me spooked."

"How are we supposed to defeat this demon if he can use our own fears against us?" Tahra sighed.

"I wish I knew Tahra…I wish I knew…"

This touching moment was interrupted by Kifdra-Xu-Deen's tittering as he came down the stairs to the dungeon. Tahra started to quake in fear, but Sonic managed to calm her down with a simple nudge. The archfiend came into the room, flanked by two large, muscular bull-like minions armed with spears.

"Well, well…isn't this touching?" Kifdra tittered. "Our two hedgehogs are in love…how cute! Let's break it up, boys!" The two bulls opened the cell and snatched Tahra from the corner. She was far too terrified to fight, and started screaming in terror and pain, with the persistent cackle of Kifdra-Xu-Deen and the atmosphere continuing to eat away at her body. Sonic was immediately locked back up again and she was taken to another room.

The combined sound of her screams and the demon's fiendish laughter had a strange effect on Sonic. Something inside of him seemed to boil and rush through him. His anger and passion were mixing around in his head, and something from deep within him was trying to burst out. Sonic's anger grew more and more, but it wasn't entirely an anger of hatred…it was a righteous rage, fueled by his desire to protect Tahra. Then, a barrier in him shattered…and a wave of inner power coursed through him.

His body flashed and turned snow white, while his green eyes seemed to shine even more. Finally, a large pair of feathered wings grew out of his back…his head quills didn't spike, though…but soon Sonic, much like Amy had done, had found his Heroic Form…one much like his angelic father.

With clarity unlike anything he had felt before, Sonic knew what he had to do. With a single kick, he knocked the cell door down. Grabbing the sword that was keened to defeat the archfiend, Sonic rushed in to save the one he cared for most…


	31. Chapter 31: Through Hero's Eyes

**Chapter Thirty-One**

**Author's Note: **Time for a different POV chapter…let's see what's going on in the blue blur's head as he races to save the Goth girl he adores…and afterwards.

-- -- -- -- --

…Tahra. She's a girl who just came out of nowhere, and stole my heart…just like that. I never knew that I could really love someone the way I do her…I don't know what it is about her that drives me wild, but now I understand how Shadow and Amy feel about each other.

I kick at the door to the room where Tahra's screams are coming from. It flies off the hinges and lands with an unassuming thud on the floor. All three of those creeps look at me, and the imp squeals in surprise. As I look around, I see Tahra held by her arms by the two giant bulls. She's in tears, and you know how I _hate _seeing someone cry like that, especially one whom I care deeply about.

"Uh…boys…we have an intruder!" I heard the imp say uneasily. The two bulls dropped Tahra and strode towards me. I see her crawl into the corner and huddle there. The two guards come up to me…a big mistake on their part. I simply swing the sword twice at them, and they both turn to dust. Now their master is scared himself. I propel myself toward him, my sword poised to finish him.

"Oh…s-so you think you're a b-big shot, huh," Kifdra stammers, "T-take this!" He shoots another blast of water out of his hands, but it doesn't scare me, as he hopes. All he does is get me very wet. Seeing that it doesn't work, he drops onto his tiny knees and begs for mercy. It makes me even angrier though…how _dare_ this creepbeg for what he gave no one else. I thrust the sword right through him, and then raise him up, and he's stuck on the blade, like shish-kebab. He's flailing there in pain, yelping and moaning. Then I figure that if he deserves any mercy…it's a quick death. But before I think of how, he slumps on the sword, and turns to dust, just like his minions.

With that threat out of the way, my attention turns to the shivering hedgehog on the floor. At first I'm repulsed by the open wounds and rashes across her body, but then I remember who she is. As I pick her up, she seems to stop shivering, but she continues breathing…she's alive all right, but for how long, I don't have a clue.

My new wings carry me up the flight of stairs, and ultimately, out of the castle. Soon after we we're outside the castle, she comes to. Her eyes don't open much, but she knows I'm there…

"S-sonic…you finally…earned your wings…"

I tenderly put a finger to her lips. "Save your strength, Tahra…"

-- -- -- -- --

We soon exited the portal and returned to the fresh air of our own dimension. All of the demon soldiers had been destroyed, and many of the echidna warriors met their untimely end, but all of my friends were alive and well. There were also many wounded, who Tails (or Milos, I have no idea what to call him now) was healing. Those still alive stared upward, and they were obviously impressed. I landed, and Tails came over to me.

"Wow…for a moment, I thought you were Devlin…" he says. "Then I noticed you don't have a halo. That means you're not a real angel."

"I'm flattered," I reply, "but there are more pressing matters." He looks at Tahra, and his expression turns to one of horror.

"Wow," he says, "she must have gotten exposed for quite a while…I'm surprised she's even alive!"

"Can you save her?" I ask as I carefully put her down.

"Yeah…I can repair these wounds easily. Just give me a minute."

I watch Tails place his hands about an inch above her, and concentrate. A light-blue energy flows out of his hands and slowly encircles Tahra. Her wounds close quickly, and her appearance returns to normal, though she's still asleep.

"There," Tails says with a bit of pride. "A day or two of total bed-rest and she'll be as good as new. Don't you love having me around?"

-- -- -- -- -- --

I've been keeping an eye on Tahra for hours now, waiting for her to finally wake up. We're back in the dorm room we spent the last night in. The window's still broken, and a cool breeze is flowing in. As I begin to wonder if she's just going to sleep the rest of the day, the girl finally wakes up again.

"Oh…I had the craziest dream…I dreamt you had suddenly grown wings, gotten soft white fur…and you were carrying me away…" I simply smile, and she understands it completely.

"That…really happened…but how?"

"I heard you screaming, and that creep laughing his head off…I guess something snapped, and boom…I'm an angelic powerhouse. I wasn't even afraid of the water…"

Tahra smirked. "Heh…I guess I can call you 'my hero', then."

There was a bit of silence before I heard a knock on the door. Mikael, the little tyke, poked his head in to see how his big sister was doing.

"Come on in…she's awake," I say. He comes in, and sits down the bed Tahra's on. Moments later, an earthy-brown female echidna comes in, with a plate of cookies. She reminds me a bit of Tikal. Mikael immediately grabs two, and starts munching on it while presenting the other to his sister. The cuteness was almost unbearable.

"Looks like your big sister's okay, Mikael…" the echidna says. Mikael smiles as he finishes his cookie. Tahra looks up at the echidna

"Thanks for watching him…uh…what was your name again?"

"It's Vahtri," the echidna replies before turning to me. "Oh, you must be Sonic. Mikael couldn't stop talking about you! He just kept ranting and raving...Mikael says he wants to be just like you when he grows up!"

I've had my share of fans in the old days…but never have I been seen as a role model. Call me a sap, but I feel pretty good knowing that I'm setting a good example. I take one of Vahtri's cookies and bite into it. It turns out to be really good…not too doughy, but not too hard…very cinnamon-y…and there's some other spice I've never tasted before…I can't quite describe it.

"What do you put into this? I know there's cinnamon in it…but there's some other thing too…"

"It's a powder made from the bark of a plant that grows only on this mountain…in fact, only members of my family know where it grows. I think it has healing properties if properly prepared, since I've heard stories of people healing major wounds at a surprising rate."

Tahra's really surprised at this. "You could have made a ton of money making these…the humans searched for years for something like this, but with no luck. You just use it as if it's nothing!"

"Actually, I made these especially for you…" Vahtri says, "…but it looks like you're just fine. I think I've been here long enough, anyway. I'll just leave these here for you." She places the plate on a nearby table and leaves, waving goodbye to Mikael. When she leaves, Tahra looks at me, absolutely perplexed.

"Did you have any idea what language you were speaking?" she exclaims.

"Uh, not really…I just talked as I always do…why?"

"Sonic…you were speaking perfect Brymbaal! I never even taught you a single word of it!"

I was reallysurprised...maybe that little transformation was useful in more ways than one.

-- -- -- -- --

It's night again, and I finally have the blessing of the echidnas, as well as a piece of a cool medallion on a string. Tails said that we're going to stay here for another day to let Tahra fully recover; but I don't think I'll mind this place. Now that I can speak that Brymbaal language, I guess I'll be able toget around better.

There's something I haven't done lately…I need to take stock and think about my life. Things have changed so much in the past few years that I suppose I need to really get my bearings. Let's take things from the top…

After Shadow left, things pretty much returned to normal. Knuckles returned to Angel Island to guard the Master Emerald; Cream and her mother were again settling down; Amy continued chasing me; The Chaotix went back into the detective business; and Rouge went back to treasure hunting. Tails continued hanging out with me, as he always did. Even Eggman was pretty quiet, but I kept my eyes open for his robots.

But soon after, things began to change…Knuckles started showing up more often; Rouge started going to clubs a lot; even Tails and Cream were spending days together under Vanilla's watchful eye. But the most surprising change was in Amy.

I saw her at her fourteenth birthday…she hadn't changed too much, besides the norm. A few weeks later, I ran into her again, and it was like she was a completely different girl. She must have had several overnight growth spurts…since we were almost the same height, and she had matured significantly. For the first time, I wasn't annoyed…I could have sworn my heart skipped a beat, and I was freaked out. I was actually _attracted _to her. This wasn't right. She was supposed to be the annoying perky schoolgirl in a red dress who was my obsessive fangirl…not some blooming beauty like Rouge. The only benefit of this change: she had pretty much stopped chasing me…but now she seemed to be trying to lure me in.

I started to become very nervous around Amy, and almost admitted my new feelings toward her a few times, but stopped myself. Eventually, I convinced her to spend a few hours with me…just as friends. I made a vow to tell her how I felt right then and there. Instead, I pushed her into a pond as a joke. That pretty much blew any chance I had of winning Amy.

Eight days later, I found out that Shadow returned, and he had hooked up with Amy. I pretended not to care, but in reality, I was a mess. Shadow, mister Dark-and-Mysterious, my equal in every way, managed to outclass me in winning love. The next thing I know, I'm kidnapped and imprisoned by Doctor Eggman, as if I wasn't humiliated enough.

But it wasn't all bad. It was there that I met Tahra for the first time. I found out that she and Amy were friendly, but I forgot all about her…my eyes started to turn toward this new girl in my life. After the whole mess with the dragons was resolved, things settled down again. Shadow and Amy got pretty cozy together, and Tahra and I would occasionally spend time together, but never a lot. She would often hang out with Amy a lot.

The angel attack changed everything. Only two or three weeks after it happened, all of a sudden she's practically all over me. For the first time in my life, I feel like it truly has meaning…at first I was just protecting the world for something to do…now I have a real reason to do it. I hope she feels the same way I do on this.

It was also a strange experience of meeting my real dad for the first time. I had not expected him to be an angel at all…at least not in the way I met him. The first word I heard out of his mouth was "correct". He seemed so cold, so distant…like he was more of an unseen guardian than my actual father. I met him…and then he left. I'm pretty anxious of what will happen when I meet him again at the Excalibur shrine. He also…looked a lot like me…I got a change to see my angel form…and I was almost freaked out by how much I resembled him…but, I don't know much about him, so I don't what more can be said about him…

Okay…now I think I'm just rambling to myself now…this journey gets weirder and WEIRDER. I better hit the sack now before I do something crazier…


	32. Chapter 32: Getting It Over With

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

**Author's Note**: Okay, now I think we're due for another Shadow chapter. Will Shadow and Jet be able to save the imprisoned hawks and put the unsportsmanlike sportsman in his place? And what of the others, who Shadow and Jet opted to leave behind for their lack of competence? Also, there's some art up by ScarletEbon for Devlin! And it is teh r0x0r! Keep on the lookout for another fourth wall break!

-- -- -- -- -- --

"So, it looks like Zeipha modified your shoes, Shadow…" Jet noted as they flew across the ravine toward a white tower, similar to the Tower of Judgment, but far smaller. "She never does that for anyone unless she's…" When Jet came to the realization, he shook it off.

"What?" Shadow asked, wondering what Jet was about to say. Jet said nothing, and instead started to veer downward, toward a nearby ledge. Shadow followed. Once both were back on the ground, Jet began to discuss his plan with Shadow.

"Alright…here's what I came up with…I'll keep the guys at the front door occupied while you slip and give the guys on the inside the beating of their soulless lives..."

"I have a better idea…" Shadow replied. He grabbed Jet, and use Chaos Control to warp up to the back of the tower, where there were few guards. The hawk was, as one would expect after passing through a large amount of space nearly instantaneously, extremely amazed.

"Shadow…what did you just…"

He was interrupted, when Shadow clapped a hand on Jet's beak, and pulled him toward the wall. A patrolling angel had passed overhead. If Shadow had not reacted so, he and Jet would have been noticed, and every member of the tower's defense force would have been down their throats before long.

"Keep it down, will you?" Shadow hissed between his teeth. "Your loud mouth is bound to get caught." Jet nodded nervously before Shadow let go of the hawk's beak.

"Okay…so how are we going to get to the top?" Jet asked quietly, "Isn't that always where the leader is? Couldn't you just do that teleport move to the top of the tower?"

Shadow sighed, and shook his head. "I wish I could…but we need to get the prisoners, remember? They're at the bottom of the tower, I bet. And I can't just use Chaos Control willy-nilly."

"Well, I suppose we'll have to think of something el…" Jet stopped mid-sentence and dropped onto the ground, unconscious. A dart of some sort was sticking out of his back. It was now obvious to Shadow that the two had been found out. Before Shadow could react, a dart had pieced him as well…knocking him out cold as well. Not all was lost, though.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"It's a good thing I put that tracking device on Shadow's shoes…" Zeipha said as she, Raiden and Espio were flying toward the white tower. Raiden and Espio were riding special hover bikes designed for those who could not balanced on the wind-riders. "The signal shows that he's in the tower, on the lower levels, but he's being moved. He was obviously caught and taken prisoner."

"I'm still ticked that he left without us," Raiden commented. "I wonder why he didn't trust us."

"Jet always had a big ego, and liked doing things himself...so he must have convinced Shadow to go with him alone. Jet thinks I'm incompetent and useless. I've been his mechanic for years, and has he thanked me once?"

"No, I suppose…" Espio replied. "What makes you stay with Jet? Are you…his girlfriend or something?" Zeipha's sigh was all Espio needed for an answer.

"If he's going to treat you like dirt…why don't you just leave him?"

"Love's a crazy thing, Espio…" Zeipha sighed before changing the subject. "Okay, we need to figure out how to free Shadow and Jet first. Espio, do you think you could bust out Shadow and Jet?"

"Stealth is the way of the ninja…" Espio responded. "Your choice was a wise one. What about you and Raiden? What will you do?"

"…Yeah…what are _we _gonna do, Zeipha? I hate just sitting around!"

Zeipha chuckled a little at Raiden's comment. "Jet's like that…he never thinks before he acts."

"You make that sound like it's a bad thing…" Raiden quipped. Zeipha didn't respond to that, but seemed to be very annoyed. Eventually, she got an idea.

-- -- -- -- --

_Great…what now, _Shadow thought as he came out of his drugged state. Once his vision had cleared up, he found himself in a box made of a mysterious white energy. He could see out of it, and found that he was in something that resembled the commentator's box in a sports arena. The arena itself was reminiscent of a Roman gladiatorial arena, and it looked a combat of sorts was going on…a hawk was desperately trying to avoid being hit by arrows shot at an astounding rate by an angel.

_So these must be the "hunts" that Jet was referring to, _Shadow thought. As this thought crossed his mind, he saw an arrow find its mark right in the poor hawk's head. The crowd in the seats started clapping in a manner that would be done on a golf course. The angel picked up the hawk's corpse and walked out of the arena.

"So, how do you like our little sport?" a deep voice with the equivalent of a British accent said to Shadow. The hedgehog turned and saw yet another angel. This one was different, though…he didn't look like a human. This fellow was a hawk as well!

Shadow was obviously quite enraged by this. "You…you're hunting down and killing your own kind…that's despicable! And you're using them for sport, if it wasn't bad enough already!"

The angel didn't seem to be fazed by this, and answered in a seemingly logical tone. "The minions get bored easily, and require entertainment. This is perfect for them…it gets the job done, too."

"But why target your own kind?"

The angel seemed surprised. "…My own kind? I am an angel of Judgment, not a hawk. Racial distinctions fall away when you vow to serve Armeil. If I must recount my old life…I was made an outcast long ago, because I opposed the use of wind-riders. I believed that hawks should use their wings. But the hawk race slipped into laziness. This is their just punishment for their sloth."

Shadow was indignant. "…You and your twisted beliefs in justice…you justify murder…no…genocide…as a means for justice."

"Maybe your own conceptions of the term are misguided…"

Before this conversation could continue, a red light above the angel began to blink…a silent alarm. Someone had broken into the base. The angel drew a bow, and left the room. For a few minutes, Shadow stood there, wondering who the intruder was. He soon got his answer.

"Next time you think you can leave us behind, Shadow…you should think again."

"Espio…what a lucky break! Were you in here this whole time?"

"Actually, I was. I just turned invisible and climbed the tower, and you were brought here in a drugged state. Chameleons are expert climbers and masters of stealth, if you recall."

"That's nice, Espio. Now would you be a dear and GET ME OUT OF THIS DAMN THING!"

-- -- -- -- --

"What's the idea of releasing these prisoners, minion?" Leawdak exclaimed when he saw the dance troupe practicing in one of the larger recreational areas.

The angel was surprised for a second, but had his response ready. "They're your new personal dance troupe, remember, sir?" the angel replied. "Some of the guards found suitable girls for it. I hope you aren't mad for letting them practice here. They won't be going anywhere."

The demon was relieved, and also interested. "Oh, then I shall watch…"

And so he did. The demon's eyes slowly moved across the room, observing each girl's movements, and determining if they were suitable. At one point, his eyes passed over Cream. What immediately caught his attention was the way Cream moved…it was different from the others. Something about the rabbit's movements enthralled the demon…this girl was good.

"Rabbit…get over here!"

Cream nervously approached the demon, and bowed out of fearful respect. She feared the worst, but was surprised by his reaction.

"I am intrigued by the way you dance, little bunny…it is not like the others. Your style is unlike anything I've ever seen…tell me where you learned it."

"Um…I taught myself…yeah, that's it."

Leawdak chuckled, and smiled. "Well, you certainly have the right idea! It's daring…it's truly seductive…I say, you're hired!"

Cream was confused. "…Hired?"

"The rest of the girls are nothing compared to you, rabbit…you're going to be my personal dancing girl! Consider yourself very lucky. You'll be treated like a queen! You'll be adored by my entire army! All you must do is _dance for me…_"

"And if I refuse?"

"My minions will have their way with you."

"Okay then...when do I start?"

"That's a good girl…"

-- -- -- -- --

"So…where are Zeipha and Raiden?" Shadow asked as he and Espio made their way down the tower. There had been very few guards on the way down, which made Shadow wonder.

"Hopefully they've freed the other prisoners," Espio replied. "It looks like they're doing everything for you."

Shadow didn't seem to mind. "As long as I get to pound their leader, it's all good, I guess. I just want to get this damn journey over with so the fluff can start again."

Espio was confused. "…Fluff?"

"Y'know…it's when Amy and I being all cute and in love and whatnot…yeah that kind of fluff. It's what the fangirls rave over."

Espio was now extremely baffled at Shadow's strange statement. "Fan…girls?" Shadow scratched his head, not even sure why he said what he said.

"I'll just pretend you never said that, Shadow…" Espio said. "Let's just find the hawk and the wolf, and then we'll be out of here."

-- -- -- -- -- --

The two searched as fast they could for Zeipha, Jet and Raiden. Soon enough, they found the three in a climactic confrontation with the hawk angel in the arena…which was not going well for them. Raiden was on the ground, wailing in pain from an arrow in his leg, Jet was up against the wall, bruised and bloodied. Zeipha was being held by the throat. When the leader noticed Shadow's arrival, he dropped Zeipha and turned to face him.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up. It looks like the real intruder was in the room all along. I suppose you're going to start ranting about I'm beating up your friends and now I'm going to get it. Spare me the ranting so I kill you."

"Espio, get the others out of here…the angel is mine."

After spending a few minutes watching Espio get the others out of the room, the leader was starting to get bored, and wondered why he even bothered to let the chameleon remove them. As he contemplated this, he completely forgot about Shadow, who proceeded to deliver a beating on him.

"Okay, I'm going to make this really quick, so I get out of here. Chaos…SPEAR!" Shadow used his trademark attack to finish off the angel quickly. To Shadow's surprise, it worked. The leader, who moments ago had underestimated Shadow's abilities so much, was now nothing but a pile of dust. Shadow couldn't help but feel that his victory was far too easily gained…and that an even greater challenge was just around the corner.

-- -- -- -- --

"Well…look who's useless NOW!" Zeipha taunted Jet. "You two got yourself captured so easily, while the three you called incompetent are responsible for saving your sorry hides!"

"I already thanked you, Zeipha…" Shadow replied. "But remember that you got beat up bad, and you would have been dead if not for me. So we're even. Jet, however, needs to show some gratuity."

Jet shook his head. "No."

Zeipha was getting ticked off. "Say it."

"No."

"Say it!"

"NO!"

Seeing that Jet wasn't going to be reasonable, Zeipha finally told him off. "If you're going to be ungrateful like that, you don't deserve a girlfriend like me! We're done, Jet."

Jet was suitably distraught by Zeipha's sudden change of heart, but was too weak to plead. Shadow was secretly pleased with the hawk's decision…Jet didn't deserve a girl like her…not the way he had treated her before. She probably had someone else in mind already…and that's when Shadow realized it: the shoes, the sigh, and the look in her eyes right now...Zeipha's eyes were on _him_! Shadow wondered how to break it to the girl that he was already taken. Of course, the solution came quickly...she would have to see for herself.

"Well, I suppose you want to come along, Zeipha?" Shadow asked. "I wouldn't mind having a mechanical genius like you on the road with me."

In a moment of uncontrolled glee, Zeipha whirled around and hugged Shadow.

"I thought you'd never ask!"


	33. Chapter 33: The Sacred Love

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

**Author's Note: **This is the chapter you've all been waiting for. There is no doubt in your minds that all you ShadAmy fans have been on the edge of your seats (and your sanity) waiting for this event. Well, you can start screaming wildly, because the wait is over!

-- -- -- -- --

The journey Amy and her companions brought them to yet another forest. Unlike the others, it seemed to be a much more peaceful place…more of a fairy realm. The trees seemed to be constantly covered in dew, and the relaxing presence of the forest spirits seemed to be everywhere. It would be the perfect place to rest after a hard day's journey. As everyone started setting up camp, Amy slipped away from the group secretly and went to a lake to relax.

Little did Amy and her companions know was that Shadow and his own merry band had, through forces beyond their control, entered the very same forest. They had also decided to set up camp in the forest, not too far from the lake.

"Hey, Shadow…" Raiden quipped. "I think I've heard legends of this place."

"What do you mean legends?" Shadow asked. "You know where we are?"

"It is said that a couple who feels true love is torn apart by fate will be drawn here unknowingly. If they should meet each other in some lake near here, their love will be deemed sacred by the spirits of the forest. It's just a legend, though."

Shadow smiled. "As I said before…legends tend to have basis in reality." Shadow suddenly stood up and started to walk away leisurely.

"I think I'll go for a walk…I'll be back in a few hours."

-- -- -- -- --

_I'm pretty sure no one is around_, Amy said to herself as he began to undress down to her underwear and bra. Normally she would have brought a bathing suit…but she was sure that no one would see her, and one doesn't think to bring such things when fleeing from a burning city. She had to deal with them being wet afterwards, but the memory of the perverted Eclipse was still burned into her mind, and she wouldn't dare being caught in the nude.

She settled into the cold, pristine lake water and began to lazily float around, dipping her head in and out sometimes. It was nice to really have a break, and she enjoyed every moment of it. The lake water seemed to refresh both her body and her soul. She even began to hum and sing songs she had heard. Her enjoyment, however, did not go unnoticed for long.

-- -- -- -- --

Shadow's relatively silent walk was suddenly interrupted by the sound of someone singing and humming, coming from the direction of the lake. The voice was so familiar…a voice that he longed to hear for what seemed to be an eternity in his mind (though, in reality, was only a few weeks).

_Amy…is it possible that she's here_, Shadow wondered, his heart rate increasing slightly. He began to follow the sound, but stopped.

_No…it has to be an illusion…it's too good to be true._

But as much as Shadow tried to will it away, the singing continued. Eventually, Shadow finally decided to follow the song, riding on the hope that it was no trick. The sound continued to get louder, but its soothing nature never changed. Shadow's heart began to race. Now he was sure…Amy was at that lake.

He stopped at the end of the tree line, peered out…and smiled. There she was, swimming about lazily, totally unaware of his presence. He wasn't about keep the love of his life waiting for him any more.

But before he could fully make his presence known, Amy saw him, and jumped in surprise. After a few moments, Amy realized that it was not who she thought it was. Of course, she still felt incredibly awkward.

"Uh…it's been a while, Ames…" Shadow said a little nervously.

"Yeah…it seemed like an eternity," Amy replied, "But I guess it hasn't really been that long. The water's fine, by the way." Shadow waded into the water and towards Amy, and they soon found themselves in each other's arms.

"What brought you to this little place?" Shadow asked.

"I don't know really. I felt like I was drawn here by some unknown force."

"Same here…maybe it was fate or something." He paused, before coming up with something else he wanted to say. "There's a legend about this lake…it says that if two lovers torn apart by fate are reunited her, their love is deemed to be _sacred_."

"Sacred love…" Amy said thoughtfully. "I think that's a great concept. I guess that makes our love sacred, huh, Shadow? It's like true love…but better!" Amy was now feeling very playful, and pushed Shadow off of his feet, straight into the lake. She couldn't help but be this way…she was finally back together with Shadow, the love of her life…she even forgot about what seemed to be the true nature of his affection.

-- -- -- -- --

"I'm glad we could see each other again so soon," Shadow sighed as the two lay back on their own makeshift camp near the lake, nuzzled together against a bed of moss, staring up at the stars, like they had done so many times before.

"Shadow, tell me…did you meet new people?" Amy asked. "I sure did."

"Yeah…but you go first…"

"Well…Rouge got some lucky ring of hers stolen by some toad, and now the toad and his debtor, a weasel, joined up. I've also got a mole with a big hammer with me…and…uh…never mind."

"What? You were about to mention someone else."

Amy was getting nervous. "He's not important…"

"Are you hiding something, Amy? You can tell me."

Amy wasn't about to tell him. "I said he's not important."

"I know you…you're a terrible liar, Amy. I want to know."

Amy started to move away from Shadow. "You really don't want to know."

"I do. Go ahead and tell me."

As if right on cue, a familiar laugh rang through the woods. Amy and Shadow looked across the lake, seeing another hedgehog standing there with his arms crossed.

"Well, well, well! Once again, my timing is impeccable!" the hedgehog laughed.

"Is that it…an android copy of me?" Shadow said, almost disappointed. "You made it sound a lot worse. I'll beat this guy down in no time."

The hedgehog disappeared, and then reappeared on the side of the shore that Shadow and Amy were on. Shadow noticed a sheathed katana hung around his back. The hedgehog drew the sword and put it to his palm.

"Tell me Shadow…" the hedgehog said as he ran the blade across his hand, leaving a slit in his palm, "…do androids…bleed?" The cut instantly healed, and the Shadow copy grinned in a very disturbing manner, his yellow eyes now revealing his true nature. Shadow and Amy were suitably horrified by this newcomer.

"You…who the hell are you?" Shadow exclaimed.

"Why…I am you…" the Shadow copy chuckled. "But at the same time, I am not. My name is Eclipse…and I am what you fear to feel." In one swift move, Eclipse kneed Shadow in the belly; trapped Amy in bonds made of dark energy, grabbed her by the hair, and put some distance between himself and his hostage's lover.

"You…bastard…let her go…" Shadow roared, "or I swear I'll tear you limb from limb!"

"Now, now, Shadow…must we solve everything with violence?" Eclipse sarcastically scolded. "I was thinking we could solve this in a more gentleman-like manner."

"Don't you DARE talk to me of being a gentleman, you monster."

Eclipse chuckled again. "Always the morally indignant one, aren't we? Let me be direct…beat me in a race, and she's all yours."

"And if I lose?" Shadow replied.

"She's mine to do with as I wish."

"What if I refuse?"

"I'm afraid that you don't have a say in the matter." Eclipse raised the katana into the air, and it began to crackle with black energy. A thunderclap rang through the woods, and the three disappeared…

-- -- -- -- --

Shadow found himself at the top of a ridge made of soot-black stone, and staring down what appeared to be a massive void, which crackling black electricity. A strange track extended before him.

"Welcome to the Void Canyon Zone, Shadow!" Eclipse said in a tone a tour guide would use when introducing his favorite site. "It's just your average, everyday nightmare realm of doom. The track you see before you is the testing ground of who will win the heart of the beautiful Amy Rose! Oh, and don't think of using Chaos Control…it won't work here."

"Let's just get this race over with…"

The two hedgehogs readied themselves at the starting line, ready to race for the prize of a woman's affection. A strange bird-like creature with three tumor-like growths on its belly came forward. Like a starting light, the top and middle ones flashed red, and when the bottom flashed green, Eclipse and Shadow took off like greased lightning.

The first major part of the race was a series of loop-de-loops, which both executed with ease, and not the slightest sign of dizziness. When it was finished, both remained neck-and-neck. On the straight part between sections, a battle for first place commenced…both used any tactic they could to shake their opponent. Shadow managed to obtain a slight lead by the time the two racers reached the checkpoint, which signaled that the next part was coming up.

The second section was a massive group of unstable columns that conveniently began to crumble as Shadow and Eclipse reached it. Both managed to weave in and out of the columns with ease, until the very end, when Shadow got smacked by a rolling column and set back several seconds. Now Eclipse had a suitable lead, and seemed sure of his win…but he decided to make sure that his victory was assured. He stopped at the nearby checkpoint and positioned himself between two support beams.

"Chaos…BLAST!" Dark energy surged from Eclipse's body, smashing the support beams to bits. The whole section began to crumble as Shadow started to get up, and it tumbled into the abyss below, Shadow with it…

"That went well," Eclipse chuckled out loud. "…Now it's time to claim my prize!" He set off at a more leisurely pace, confident that his victory was sealed.

-- -- -- -- --

There were but two voices in darkness…one Shadow, the other not. That was all.

_How could I fail…Amy was counting on me…and I failed her miserably._

"…_Failure…"_

_I dare not comprehend what terrible things he will do to Amy…_

"…_Despicable things…atrocious things…"_

_Things that are hateful…perverted…_

"…_It's your own fault…"_

_My fault…Eclipse is me…_

"…_You feared your emotions…"_

_He wants to do those things…_

"…_He will desecrate her…"_

_He DARES to make profane the sacred love Amy and I share…_

"…_You can't stop him…"_

_I WILL stop Eclipse…I alone shall tempt the virgin rose…_

"_...You wish to do those things to her?"_

_Yes…I would. I belong to my beloved and my beloved belongs to me._

"…_She could never love you then…"_

_Amy and I vowed to be together while under the light of the moon…and that power shall not be eclipsed by some faker. These emotions are who I am…it doesn't mean I can't wait. _

A flare of light bright as the sun came from the abyss, and Shadow burst forth, adorned with a breastplate, gauntlets and a headband, all adorned with the symbol of the crescent moon…his own Heroic form. He hovered there in mid-air, his eyes keened ahead. In a burst of speed, he streaked toward Amy's location, bent on a single goal: the total destruction of Eclipse, and freeing the innocent flower from his tainted grip.

-- -- -- -- --

"No…it can't be…" Amy gasped.

"That's right my beauty," Eclipse cackled. "Shadow is lost in the void forever."

"I can still feel him…he's alive…" Amy protested as she sensed something coming in from a distance. It had to be him…she just had to stall for a few more seconds.

"Don't be a foolish little child. Shadow is gone for good, and now you're all…" But before Eclipse could finish his sentence, he got smashed by Shadow, and sent spinning. Shadow briefly turned his attention to Amy, who was glad, but not surprised, to see him. She knew Shadow was hard to kill.

"Well, it looks like you got your own little set of armor. I like the moon theme."

Shadow grinned before resuming his serious tone. "Thank you, but I've got a perverted copy of me to pound into dust."

Amy smirked and pecked Shadow on the cheek. "Go get 'em, tiger."

_Rawr_, Shadow said to himself. As he turned to face Eclipse,the evil onerose to his feet, and was in a state of blind rage. When his eyes came back into view, they were bloodshot and flashing between yellow and purple, and his quills were trying to stand up. With a roar of fury, Eclipse ascended to his own Super level...but it turns more of the color of highly tarnished silver.

_And I thought this was going to be easy_, Shadow said to himself. _But I guess I get to fight him after all. _

"You…you dare make a mockery of me," Eclipse growled. "How could you act so casual…I am your darkest emotions made real! WHY ARE YOU NOT AFRAID?"

Shadow chuckled mockingly before assuming a combat stance. "I have come to terms with those feelings, Eclipse. You could only have defeated me as long as I dared to suppress the truth. Now that I have accepted those emotions…you and I are on a level playing field."

"Then let us dance the dance of death…and see who is truly worthy of the rose's hand…" The two hedgehogs dashed at each other, and the fated battle between the sacred and profane began…

-- -- -- -- --

**Author's Note: **I know this one may have been a little rushed in plot terms, but I promise, you'll LOVE the next chapter. But this should probably satisfy the daily fluff requirement for you ShadAmy fans.


	34. Chapter 34: School Dance

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

**Author's Note: **All you people wanted ShadAmy fluff…and all I get 1 review for when the fluff starts again! What kind of fangirls/boys are you! wags finger Anyway, here's some more romance! And a new character is introduced…Regal, Tahra's cousin. You'll be seeing him again. -stares at ScarletEbon-

-- -- -- -- --

I have to stay in this bed for most of the day. Doctor's orders, they tell me. I hate being stuck in bed, especially without anything to do. You don't exactly get the chance to bring a CD player along with you when you're fleeing a burning city that's on the verge of destruction by supernatural beings.

My time stuck in bed, however, does give me an excuse to think about all the things that have happened to me. So I might as well do it. I have nothing better to do.

The story of my life can be summed up in one word: pendulum. It's been back and forth many times between two places: the home in the city and the ancient city where my grandmother resides, so I have knowledge of both worlds. My parents would leave me with my grandmother for roughly six months out of the year while they were on business. The other six months were spent with them.

Yeah…my grandmother's the high priestess of the Emerald Light. When Sonic said that religion was a human invention…boy, was he wrong. Of course, the god of the humans was trumped-up…I'm pretty sure the Emerald Light is a real force. It's not a creator…just more of a protector. But I digress.

My time at my grandmother's place is dominated by all the languages I had to learn. It may be boring to some, but I ate the stuff up when I was young. All the hours of reading, memorization and comprehension exercises my grandmother made me do…it was actually something I looked forward to. Even I'm kind of stunned about that.

Fast-forward to three years ago. All of a sudden my parents say they've lost their jobs, and can't travel anymore. I have to stay in the city school, which I absolutely loathed. That's when I started to rebel against them. I started wearing black, piercing my ears, and dressing like I do now. I was in the middle of my senior year in high school (I don't know how I managed to stand it) when that incident occurred. Mikael had disappeared several days before, had been found, and then disappeared again...the same day I lost my parents. For some reason people may find sickening…I don't miss them very much. My grandmother is a much greater influence on me than my parents were. I wonder if I'll get to see her again.

As I think about all this, I hear a knock on the door. Sonic pokes his head in, and I let him come in. His hands are behind his back, so it looks like he's holding something. There's an exchange of greetings, he sits down and puts the object he was holding behind his back under the other bed as he quickly launches into the reason he came.

"There's going to be a dance for the older students here tonight. I'm sure the Cardinals would allow us to go…if _you_ want to, anyway. I heard Knuckles and that Vahtri girl were going together as well."

"Sure!" I exclaim. "I'm sure I'm well enough to do something as tame as a school dance! We're a couple, remember? Did you think I'd say no?" Sonic doesn't respond, and I continue.

"So, when does it start? Or does this city have no distinct measurement of time?"

"It starts at sundown," Sonic responds. "Do you think you're going to go in your normal clothes? The formality of the place doesn't seem to suggest that."

"I'll find something," I reply innocently. He smiles and leaves the room. When I'm sure he's gone, I get out of the bed and look for the object he put under the bed. It's a box, probably for clothing. I can't help but smile…he's too shy to just give to me…he has to try and hide it. It's cute, in a way.

I open the box to find a long, indigo skirt with white lace. There are a few other items in there: a small box containing six amethyst stud earrings, and a note. I open it and read it: "_You wouldn't believe the trouble I took to get these for you. I hope this means a lot to you…Love, Sonic."_

Love…even when he said he wanted to be my boyfriend, he never said the word "love". I guess this means he really does care…then again, when he went berserk and got that angel form in the imp's realm seemed to suggest that as well. I don't think I'll disappoint Sonic tonight.

-- -- -- -- --

A large crowd is gathering here at the entrance to the main ballroom. All races are here: hedgehogs, echidnas, rabbits, chameleons, bats, squirrels, armadillos, moles, even a few hawks and wolves are here. A few lone males are milling around on the outside, but most people have come with a date. Speaking of which, I wonder where mine is. Just as the doors open, he appears from around a corner, in a bit of a rush. He's wearing a light blue vest in addition to his normal gloves and shoes, and a headband with a blue crystal on it. He skids to a stop, and looks me up and down.

"I like your outfit," he says, apparently trying to make like I don't know.

I smile. "I guess it suits me…you picked it out yourself, didn't you?"

"Actually…Tails offered to do it for me…you wouldn't believe what he can do with spare parts." I could never see Tails, a.k.a. Milos Fylerian, almighty ex-Seraphim of the Judgment, at a sewing machine. It was an almost disturbing image.

But I soon shake it off when I see Knuckles with that Vahtri girl that came in, just like Sonic said she would. The two seem to be talking as if they're old friends. I'm pretty sure they were as I continue observing. The doors soon opened, and the large crowd of students starts to pour in and begin milling around, talking and snacking on the various food items on nearby tables.

-- -- -- -- --

There are a lot of students here, and we don't really know anyone. For a few hours, we're pretty much by ourselves in terms of socialization, until I hear a familiar voice coming from behind me…

"Tahra? Is that you?" the voice exclaims. I turn around and see someone who I didn't really want to see…my cousin Regal, the son of my mom's brother. He's got head quills similar to Shadow's, except he's completely red, and he's dressed in a snazzy way, with a bright green vest and a gold choker around his neck. He also has a blue diamond on his white headband. In addition to his shiny attire, Regal has not one, but four ridiculously sexy girls, two hedgehogs, a rabbit and an echidna, following him like he's their pimp. I haven't seen him in years, but I would recognize his voice anywhere. It sounds like what that annoying bee Charmy might sound like if he was my age.

"Oh, hello Regal…fancy meeting you here," I say in an attempt to tell him that I don't want him around. He never was easy to get rid of…I could never figure out why girls could fall for such an annoying dork.

"C'mon, cousin…can't we ever be family-like?" he says, trying to hug me. "You were always so cold to me! Give your cousin a friendly hug, at least!"

"Let's leave this geek, Regally-poo," one of his girls coos to him as she pulls him back by the shoulders. "She's obviously unworthy to be around _you_…"

"That's just nonsense, cream-puff!" he says in a half-scold, lifting. "She's family! Family is _always_ worthy to be in my presence!" He finally notices Sonic.

"Well, well…it seems someone's finally getting around," he says, seemingly impressed with the fact that I had a boyfriend. "Tell me, blue-boy…what's your name, and where did you get those neat shoes?"

Sonic doesn't seem to like Regal either, but tries to remain polite. "The name's Sonic, and where I got my shoes is none of your business. And by the way, you can only bring one of those girls as your date, you know. This is a school dance, not a brothel, buddy."

The look on Regal's face in reaction to this comment was one I savored. It was the look one would have if confronting an axe murderer who jumped at you from the shadows. It was a little off-color, sure, but it seemed like Sonic was the only one with the guts to tell him that. The reactions of his girls were similar, and they managed to catch him as he stumbled backwards. A crowd began to gather.

"How…how…how DARE you!" he says indignantly. "You dare address your _girlfriend's cousin _that way! Tahra, do you hear how your boyfriend has slandered me?" I only shake my head at him…Regal did had it coming, in my opinion. But what happens next is a little disturbing. Three mean-looking echidna students push their way through the crowd and up towards us, having overheard the ruckus.

"Hey, Regal…this punk bother'n you?" one of them asks. "Don't worry, we'll teach him a lesson." Sonic doesn't seem scared in the least. I'm a little concerned, but more of revealing just powerful he was, and not start a big fight, than Sonic actually being beaten. The three echidnas surrounded Sonic, and the crowd started chanting "Fight, fight, fight" over and over.

As I hoped, Sonic isn't about to stoop to the level of the hooligans. He deftly dodges their punches, and soon they're too tired to fight. Regal, of course, is now incensed, and the crowd, after seeing this embarrassment, starts laughing at him.

"C'mon, Tahra," Sonic says. "This place is getting too rowdy for me…let's go someplace quieter. I'm starting to feel sorry for Regal." I had to admit, he was devastated. As I look back, he's rushing out of the room, and his four girls are running after him, their breasts bouncing as they do. What stupid girls.

-- -- -- -- --

Sonic brings me to a sparsely wooded area on the campus, where a few other couples have come to be alone…sort of, anyway. He and I find a spot to sit down at, and we nuzzle up against each other. We're silent, but he just sits there holding me for a while. I wonder what he's thinking. After a while, both of us start to hear voices coming from nearby: Knuckles and Vahtri.

"Hey, Sonic…do you think…" I whisper.

"Let's listen," he replies with equal volume. Both of us listen carefully to their conversation.

"I'm glad you're not like those punks, Knux…you're so peaceful and kind."

"Well, uh…thanks," Knuckles replies nervously. "I hope you had a good time, Vahtri."

"I really did…at least until that fight started. I suppose I was kinda scared."

"…Of those guys? Sonic could have taken them with both hands behind his back."

"Yeah…I bet you could too…you're the Guardian of the Master Emerald, after all, you sexy red thing you…"

"Uh, Vahtri…are you okay?"

"Knuckles and Vahtri sitting a tree," I start to quietly chant.

"K-i-s-s-i-n-g?" Sonic responds. We both laugh quietly before continuing to listen.

Vahtri suddenly seems ashamed of her seductive approach. "Knuckles…I'm sorry…it's been so long, and I never got to tell you how I really felt."

"Vahtri…what's the meaning of all this? We're just friends, remember?"

"Knux…fate tore us apart, but we're back together now."

"Don't tell me you want to…"

"Yes…love me, Guardian…"

There's no more dialogue, but there's some muffled sounds and rustling grass. She starts panting a little bit a few seconds, and sighs. Knuckles is completely silent.

"I've heard enough…" I whisper. "Let's get out of here before those two know we're here…so we can really be alone."

"I hope it's only what I think you want…" Sonic says.

"Sure…but you enjoyed it before, right?"

-- -- -- -- --

The night passes peacefully. I don't have the dream again, and I feel really rested after that night. The news on every student's lips that morning is of Regal's humiliation, and how the Cardinals were going to investigate the hub-bub. But now Sonic, Knuckles, Tails and I are off to the next place: the village of the kitsune. We say goodbye to the Cardinals, who see us off. As we leave, we hear Vahtri's voice calling out to Knuckles. He turns and waves goodbye.

"So…how was it with her last night?" Sonic asks.

"Uh…it was pretty tame. We just talked."

"That's not what I heard."

"What you mean…" Knuckles says before realizing just what Sonic meant. Sonic takes off at a high speed, with the red echidna in hot pursuit, cursing and screaming.


	35. Chapter 35: Conflict and Union

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

**Author's Note**: Okay, let's really get this epic battle started! Shadow vs. Eclipse! W00tness! It's not as long as some may like it to be, but the actual fight would last longer than the text would suggest, say, if it was in a movie or something. Just use your imaginations, people. Anyway, on with the show!

-- -- -- -- --

Eclipse staggered from Shadow's first strike, a forceful gut punch, but managed to avoid his follow-up attack, then countered with a knee strike to Shadow's back, knocking him down. Eclipse grabbed Shadow's legs on the bounce-back, and tossed him several yards away in a manner like an Olympic hammer-throw. Shadow righted himself in midair and landed gracefully. Eclipse, instead of following, drew the katana he had used to transport Amy, Shadow and himself to the Void Canyon Zone and rushed at Shadow. It was none other than Murasame, Masamune's sinister counterpart, though Shadow and Amy had no idea of its true nature.

Shadow was initially unsure of how to counter this attack, but soon found that the solution came naturally to him.

"Chaos…EDGE!" A crackling blade roughly three feet long made of pure cosmic energy suddenly formed in his hands, and he managed to parry Eclipse's strike just in time. The two leapt apart and readied a guard stance. Eclipse seemed frustrated with this occurrence. His one advantage had somehow been taken away…and Murasame seemed much weaker than Nazo had told him it was. But it wasn't about to lose because of a weaker weapon. Shadow and Eclipse leapt at each other, warping and clashing, warping and clashing. It was indeed a dance of death, a waltz where only one partner would survive.

Shadow managed to trick Eclipse by feinting left and attacking right, delivering a powerful slash to Eclipse's upper arm. The fake Shadow put some distance between himself and Shadow. The wound closed to stop any bleeding, but the damage remained done. The power of the Chaos Edge was great enough to pierce the mostly-invulnerable hide given by a Super form.

Eclipse decided to change his strategy. He started hanging away from Shadow, and raining short bursts of energy as bullets. At first, Shadow tried to avoid the rain of energy, but found out he could deflect them with the versatile Chaos Edge. Eclipse shielded himself from the bullets, only to find himself attacked again by Shadow, who had closed in. Again, Eclipse had to retreat.

Finally, Eclipse hit on the perfect idea. It would be sure to work. He raised his hands into the air, and called out two words…

"Chaos…Control!" Eclipse disappeared just as Shadow got into range. Eclipse then let loose a flurry of light-speed slashes, giving Shadow a ferocious beating. Shadow's armor, luckily, reduced the damage each swing dealt. Such an assault would have left most in ribbons, but Shadow withstood it. Once Chaos Control wore off, Shadow managed to counter one of Eclipse's slashes and counterattacked.

Both used Chaos Control simultaneously, and the dashing attacks got more fearsome and quick. Each clash was as bright as three suns, bringing blinding light to the Void Canyon Zone.

Amy, meanwhile, was managing to slowly break her bonds. Eclipse's attention was elsewhere, thus weakening the strength of the dark energy that kept her immobile. She had to help Shadow somehow. It was his battle, she knew, but it wasn't going to end without somehow shifting the balance in her beloved's favor. As Amy searched for a way, an idea hit her. She wasn't sure if it would work…she had never tried it before…but it was her last option. Concentrating as hard as she could, she began to build energy, and finally, it was ready.

"Chaos…BLAST!" The bonds burst and dissolved, and the explosion caught Eclipse momentarily off guard, allowing Shadow to deliver a solid slash and sending his dark side spiraling toward the void below. With victory in his grasp, Shadow closed in for the kill…only to find that Amy, in her Heroic form got there first, with a powerful heel kick sending Eclipse into the void. But before Eclipse was lost, he warped all three of them back to the lake where they had been before. Eclipse hit the ground and was unconscious, just long enough to lull Shadow and Amy into a false sense of security.

As the two celebrated their victory, Eclipse got to his feet, and found his opportunity to strike where it hurt. With a chuckle, he launched a full-powered Chaos Spear at Shadow. Amy saw it coming and tried to deflect it. It missed Shadow, but Amy wasn't quite as lucky. A substantial chunk of Amy's upper arm, near the shoulder joint, was taken off, nearly exposing the bone. She dropped to her knees, and tried not to scream from the pain, and clutched onto the raw and bloody flesh.

Eclipse was angry that he missed, and teleported away, muttering curses as he did. Shadow was shocked, and immediately tried to comfort her, but he was even more scared than she was.

"Amy…you're gonna be all right…"

"I…I can't move my arm…"

"Damn fool…I could have taken that."

"No, (ergh) that would have killed you, I'm sure. Crud, I think I can feel the bone…"

"Where's a doctor when you need one?" Shadow growled. As this touching and desperate situation played out, the forest spirits seemed to take notice, and made themselves known in their own special way. A cool breeze blew across the lake, and the pain in Amy's arm started to numb. And then a voice called out to the two.

_Bring the girl to the water…_

Shadow was desperate for anything, so he lead Amy into the lake. Amy, with a bit of effort, managed to dip her shoulder into the water, and relaxed once she did. In a mildly grotesque fashion, the fibers of her muscles began to stretch and meld together, and the skin stitched itself closed. As both wondered just what was going on, the voices of the forest spirits called again.

_The wounds caused by those hateful to sacred love are healed by this lake…thy love has been deemed sacred. Go, and be happy._

"So the legend was true," Amy gasped. She glanced at her healed arm. "The forest spirits have blessed our relationship."

"Yeah…but don't ever do that again…"

"I promise…"

As the sacred couple stood in the middle of the lake, they couldn't help but feel renewed passion for each other. They locked arms and reaffirmed their love with a passionate kiss, one much like the kiss on the day they separated by fate. But now they were back together…and the ancients wept with joy.

-- -- -- -- --

"I thought we'd find her here," Nack said as he poked his head out of the woods. "I figured she'd want to sleep alone here. Let's get her and move on."

"Wait…there's someone with her…" Ribik said, pointing to Shadow. "I wonder if it's…"

"It's Shadow all right…" Rouge interrupted. At that moment, Shadow began to stir, as if awakened by Rouge's voice. Amy started to wake up as well.

"Ugh…who's there?" Shadow grunted as he rubbed his eyes.

"Hey! Shadow!" another voice called from the other side of the lake. Shadow and Amy, now both awake, were looking both ways, surprised by their own respective groups finding them at the same time.

Shadow's group came around the lake to meet Amy's. Rouge and Espio, who obviously knew each other well, made introductions far easier between the two bands.

"Well, this is certainly an unexpected meeting…" Espio said to Rouge. "Might I ask who these characters are? I assume you want to know the same thing."

"The name's Nack…sniper and businessman extraordinaire," Nack said with no disguise of pride, despite the nature of his inferior status. "These guys are Ribik, a former client of mine, and Sven. I suppose it's a pleasure meetin' youse guys." He tipped his hat.

"Your girlfriend doesn't exactly have the best taste in company…" Raiden said to Shadow. Nack sneered in response. "Anyway, my name's Raiden, and the hawk with the goggles is Zeipha. I assume the pink gal's Amy." Zeipha seemed disheartened by Amy's presence. She did have a spark of affection for Shadow, but it was snuffed out by this startling discovery. But she tried to stay pleasant, and waved.

"So, this is quite a meeting, huh?" Shadow finally said. "Both of our parties, with completely different destinations, end up running into each other at the same spot, for similar reasons. It's too weird to be coincidence." As he glanced over to his group, he couldn't help but notice that Raiden was staring at Amy and drooling. Zeipha noticed it too, and elbowed him.

"Anyway, I suppose it wouldn't hurt if we traveled together," Shadow continued. "You know what they say, the more the merrier…"

"I'm game," Zeipha said. Besides, she wanted an explanation from Amy about this whole relationship she had with Shadow. Raiden agreed as well, with a simple nod.

"Count ol' Sven in," the mole said.

"I guess we all agree then," Nack says. "I don't want to hear no caste-related jokes, or you get a hole in the head, you hear me?" Everyone nods with vary degrees of anxiousness.

"Okay, now that that's all settled…can I get a shirt or something? I feel a little indecent." Amy finally asked the group. After a brief pause, everyone started laughing merrily, except Amy.

"I'm serious…"

-- -- -- -- --

The sky was almost cleared of its red tint as the two bands set out together. It wasn't long before friendships began to form. Zeipha and Ribik found a common interest in discussing engineering, while Nack and Espio started bragging to each other about commissions they had taken. Raiden seemed to be eying Rouge every moment he could, but was put into line by the morally upright Sven.

During one of their resting periods, Zeipha finally confronted Amy and told her of her crush on Shadow, hoping she would not be angered by that fact. Amy, of course, wasn't mad. She understood completely how Zeipha felt.

"Before I met Shadow, I was obsessed with one guy in my life as well. Of course, I found out that he was a bit of a jerk, but was not so bad on the inside. By the time I learned how he really felt, I had already become his girlfriend. I don't blame you for dropping Jet, though. He sounds like a real jerk."

"So…you'd still be my friend?"

Amy smiled. "Sure. I'm not one to hold grudges against someone with a little crush. Besides, any friend of Shadow's is a friend of mine, and you did give me your shirt."

Zeipha sighed with relief. Now she didn't really see the need to pursue Shadow anymore, seeing how futile it would be. She had seen just how strong the bond between Amy and Shadow was, and felt it would almost be a blasphemy to come between them.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Meanwhile, Shadow was talking with Nack, who had finished telling him about Eclipse and who the Shadow clone was. They also had been discussing guns, a surprising mutual interest.

"So…this Eclipse guy was _made_ by Nazo using _my _cosmic energy residue?" Shadow asked.

"Yeah," Nack replied. "He's a real sex freak…he says he's your darkest emotions made real."

Shadow decided not to tell Nack about his confrontation with Eclipse. "Yeah…anyway, I have to know how you do that!"

"Do what?" Nack inquired.

"How you pull such huge guns out of empty space! I've seen some crazy magic and stuff, but that doesn't seem logical. It's like you're pulling stuff straight out of your fur."

"Well, Shady-boy, that's a trade secret of mine that I'll never tell. Can't have the Ultimate Life Form getting all the contracts, yeah?"

"I'm not the bounty hunter type." Shadow reassured the weasel before coming up with another question. "By the way, you seem to know a lot about this whole mess that's going on. Why?"

Nack closed his eyes for a moment. "I hope you can keep a secret. No one else knows this, and I think only you and Amy can be trusted with this info. Can you keep a secret, Shaddy-boy?"

"Mum's the word," Shadow replied.

"Okay…I'm a former leader of the Judgment. That's right. I'm one of the Seraphim. Pretty wild, huh, Shaddy?"

Shadow was indeed surprised at this. "You never gave off that impression."

Nack launched into his explanation. "There were actually six Seraphim at one time…Milos, Devlin, Armeil, myself and two others."

"Who were they?" Shadow asked.

"One was an echidna named Eberon, the other was a kitsune named Naylet. Devlin, Armeil, Eberon and Naylet were the four Chosen Heroes, destined to fight the Meteor Parasite. Milos was Naylet's little brother, and I was Eberon's best pal."

Shadow seemed to following well. "Armeil forced you and the others to become his minions by force."

"Yeah. For a while, Eberon, Naylet and I ruled with them. But soon we saw the suffering in the world, and protested. When our words went unheard, we split from them."

"What happened?"

"There was a great war between our two factions, and all of my side's forces were wiped out. We went into hiding, hoping for the day new heroes would arise…but it looks like Devlin and Milos have decided to side with the good guys after all. If we can find Naylet and Eberon, assailing the Tower of Judgment will be a snap."

"Do you know where Eberon and Naylet are?"

"Not in the foggiest. Right now, we oughta concentrate on getting the Sacred Arms."


	36. Chapter 36: Kitsune Metropolis

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

**Author's Note: **Wow…I'm adding plot elements for seemingly no reason whatsoever! Go figure. Don't worry, you'll all get to meet Eberon and Naylet soon…a lot sooner than you might think, actually.

-- -- -- -- --

Tails really didn't want to go back to the kitsune city. Not because he did something bad…but because of who he was. It was a secret he dared not tell anyone…not even Sonic. It wasn't because he was an angel…he already knew that there were some defectors in the ranks of the Judgment, including his own sister, who, like him, was a Seraphim. She was also a Chosen Hero in the past, and she was the only one who still loved him…the only one who could love a half-breed as a brother…

"Hey, Tails…you seem down," Tahra said when she noticed his sad mood. "I thought you'd be happy to go back to the village you were born in, after…oh, none of your old friends there would be alive."

"It's nothing to be concerned over," he replied. Tahra decided not to press the topic further. Before she could ask him something else, Sonic and Knuckles stopped, making her stop as well. The cause for the pause was obvious: a surprisingly large, dark grey echidna was standing in the middle of the road. His fur was scraggly and he had a look of determined rage in his eyes.

"Hey, get out of our way, buddy…we don't mean any harm," Knuckles said, trying to reason with this titan. "Just move aside, and we'll be on our way."

"No one shall pass here!" the echidna roared. "No one can enter or leave the realm of the kitsune! I must protect them from ALL outsiders!" The echidna charged forward with great speed, but Tails, extending his angel wings leapt in front of the charging threat, causing him to skid to a stop, shocked at this sudden occurrence.

"M-Milos!" the echidna exclaimed. "W-what are you doing? Are these your minions?"

"…Minions?" Tahra answered. "We're his friends. Do you know this guy, Tails?"

Tails nodded. "Believe it or not…there were more than three Seraphim. There were _six_ of them. Eberon here was one of them. He defected many years ago."

"Remove these youngsters from your grip, Milos, or I'll kill you!" Eberon warned.

"Eberon, I am not controlling them.They are my friends, just as they said.This echidna is Knuckles, former Guardian of the Master Emerald."

"…Nazo's foul creation…" Eberon muttered under his breath. Tails had neglected to notify the others of the true nature of the Master Emerald.

"The purple hedgehog is Tahra, granddaughter of the current high priestess of the Emerald Light."

"Uh…hi," Tahra said nervously.

"…And the blue one is Sonic…if you would believe it, is Devlin's son. I have been watching over him for many years now."

Eberon raised an eyebrow. "Devlin…had a son? He would be the last person I would expect to have a child. But I do see the resemblance. So, Milos, you have forsaken Armeil's false Law?"

Tails nodded with a bit of a smile "Yes I have…with the little help of a rabbit that I've come to find affection for. But, why are you blocking outsiders from kitsune lands?"

"Alas, I am bound to the Kitsune Lord…I was found guilty of murdering a young kitsune ten years ago, and this is my punishment." He showed a rune on his arm: a Mark of Penitence. "As long as he wills it, this symbol binds me to the lands of the multi-tailed ones."

"You have one too!" Sonic exclaimed, showing his Mark. Eberon was even more shocked when he heard this.

"So, the Age of the Parasite is nearly at an end," the echidna replied. "The humans have met their tragic end and the Sacred Arms will be awakened once more. I was wondering who the pink hedgehog was in my dream."

"Yeah…that's Amy Rose, Mjolnir's new wielder," Tahra interjected. "She's one of our friends, too. Maybe if you come along with us, we can reason with the Kitsune Lord."

Eberon sighed. "He would not speak with anyone who associates with a half-kitsune." Tails was now starting to get really nervous. Had Eberon known about his secret all along?

"What? Half-kitsune?" Sonic asked. "Is there some taboo against them? We don't know any half-kitsune."

"One stands among you…isn't that right, Milos?"

Tails gulped. Eberon had blown the cover that he had kept for the last six thousand years.

"What? I don't see anything wrong with that," Sonic commented as if it was no big deal.

"I have no problem with it either," Eberon replied, "but it is against the ancient law that foxes and kitsune breed. The results of these illegitimate children are considered scum, equal to weasels in deplorability. It goes with any interracial breeding, but half-kitsunes are the most common, and the most aesthetically pleasing. There are rumors of hedgehog-crocodile crosses…a very disturbing creature, but are few, and never reach adulthood, even if they are not discovered."

"Creepy…" Knuckles said with a shudder. "Maybe I shouldn't have kids with Rouge…I don't want echidna kids with bat wings."

Eberon chuckled. He was becoming more pleasant and amiable, now that he had gotten to know the group. "Of course, it is not uncommon to have children of one parent's species and inheriting few or no traits from the other. These children are more accepted than the obvious crosses. Fear not, Knuckles."

"So, are you going to let us through?" Tails finally asked.

"Yes. But I suggest you stay out of the village, Milos. Kitsune can spot a half-breed easily. I doubt they'll let you in."

"Why don't you come with us?" Tahra asked. "We could use some more muscle, and you could probably convince them to let Milos in."

"I am a criminal…but one can hope for redemption. I'll come."

"Welcome aboard, big guy!" Sonic said amiably, patting Eberon on the back.

**-- -- -- -- -- --**

"There it is…" Eberon said, pointing to the spire coming out of the trees. "…the capital of kitsunedom…Quadtalia, in all its technological glory." The tree line opened to reveal not an ancient city of stone, but a great domed capital that had an appearance oddly similar to that of the Space Colony ARK.

"Woah! This place would make Eggman go gaga!" Sonic exclaimed."I've never seen so much technology!"

"The kitsune are a highly advanced race, but are quite selfish with their technology, and only share with the hedgehogs and echidnas, and even then on a very rare occasion. Only one individual who was not a hedgehog, kitsune or echidna has ever had access to the marvels within those city walls…I believe his name was Doctor Gerald Robotnik, a human with a brain like a sponge and a heart of gold."

"Doctor Gerald…" Sonic said. "Man, that guy really got around!"

"You know of Gerald Robotnik?" Eberon asked. "Didn't he die about fifty years ago? I heard he was working on creating the Ultimate Life Form."

"…Project Shadow," Sonic answered. That being is alive after Masamune. He's even a friend of ours; Freaky, huh?"

"My, how the hand of Fate weaves coincidences without number," the echidna replied. "Oh, there's the gate…good luck getting in with Milos around…"The group approached the gate, and was stopped by a pair of two-tailed kitsune holding some sort of laser rifles.

"Halt! State your business," one of the guards demanded.

"We're here to see the Kitsune Lord," Sonic said in Brymbaal, and flashed the Mark of Penitence on his arm. "It's extremely important."

"Ah…the Kitsune Lord will be glad to see you, Chosen of Excalibur," the same guard said. "However," he continued as he glanced at Tails, "I would advise that you remove the scum from your group."

"That _scum _is my friend!" Sonic retorted. "You can't talk about him like that, even if he is a half-breed! I've got a good mind to teach you a lesson!"

"Let me do the talking, Sonic…" Tahra interrupted, nudging Sonic out of the way. She addressed the two guards in perfect Kitsune and explained the situation to them. They immediately got the pitch.

"You're the high priestess' granddaughter! I don't know what that old woman is thinking of this so-called racial equality, but I suppose we'll let the half-breed in. I'll contact the Kitsune Lord, and he'll get everything ready." He picked up an object reminiscent of a phone, and spent a few minutes talking on it in Kitsune.

"All the arrangements are being made. Just a bit of advice, half-breed…you better find a way to conceal yourself, or they'll lock you up and throw away the card key!"

"I'll find a way to keep myself concealed," Tails said. "Thanks for your kindness." The guards opened a clear fiberglass door, and letting them all through. They slammed the door just as Tails went through, and started to laugh mockingly.

When they coast was clear, Tails conjured up a brown shroud to conceal himself with, and shifted back to his eight-year-old body for good measure. Now he wouldn't be recognized for what he was. Now that everything was ready, the group stepped on the elevator and entered the great city of Quadtalia…

-- -- -- -- --

"Wow, this place rocks!" Sonic yipped as he gazed up at the great buildings that rose out of the ground. The domed city was mostly underground, but was exposed to sunlight because the buildings reached out of a great hole in the earth.

"Even I'm surprised about it. My people have advanced so much in six thousand years…last I remember, they were working on gunpowder and the steam engine. Pretty neat, huh? It's all thanks to the alchemists and engineers our race produces in vast quantities."

"Look, there's the place the guard mentioned," Tahra said, pointing to one building. "The Rising Star…that place is supposed to be famous for its luxurious accommodations."

Sonic was now beside himself. "Luxury hotels, VIP access, chatting with rulers…MAN, I love being a Chosen Hero!"

"You do recall that you have to go through great hardship," Knuckles reminded Sonic.

"Hey, I like tussling with bad guys…I think its fun!"

"You were pretty angry when you fought Kifdra-Xu-Deen…" Tahra said. "You definitely weren't having fun there. I doubt fighting the minions of the Meteor Parasite will be any fun."

"Well, it's a price I have to pay," Sonic replied as the group entered the hotel. "Let's enjoy our VIP status while we have it. Tahra, you're the linguist here…make with the check-in!"

"Pushy, aren't we?" she said in her smoothly sardonic tone. "Fine, I'll check us in." Tahra went up to the help desk, and checked the group in. She returned with three room keys. She handed one to Knuckles and one to Sonic.

"These are the only ones we've got, so _don't lose them_."

"Okay, Tahra, sure…let's go up to the room!" Knuckles rushed off, eager to see what their accommodations were. Sonic followed in hot pursuit. Tahra groaned.

_Sometimes I feel like I'm a babysitter, _she said to herself as she followed, with the two seraphim (concealing their wings, of course) following her.

-- -- -- -- --

"I call shotgun on the big bed!" Sonic yipped as he dashed across the large suite and dove onto the large, cushy bed. The room was splendid and luxurious…the room that this band of adventurers had been given was reserved for other heads of state…it had everything…television, radio, hot tub, bathrobes, and that was just the beginning.

"I need to freshen up," Tahra sighed. "We all should look our best when we meet with the Kitsune Lord. I heard that's he's quite the snob." She plucked a towel and a bathrobe from the nearby closet and went into the bathroom.

"Meanwhile, let's see if we can get any radio." Sonic said. "We could probably pick up some music from Westopolis! Maybe they have a radio station working." He turned on the radio, and began tuning the dial, until he found a station he liked. He starting bobbing his head to the beat, and began playing air guitar and singing along. Eberon didn't seem to like the music, as he held his ears.

"Is that _noise_ supposed to be music!" he groaned. "You obviously aren't keen to the old ways, are you, Sonic?" The blue hedgehog seemed to pay no heed, and continued singing and dancing to the music. The echidna groaned and went over to the radio. After a few seconds of observation, he managed to find the snooze button, which stopped the music. He pressed the button, and Sonic stopped dancing.

"Hey! I was listening to that!" he complained.

"You may be a Chosen Hero…but that doesn't give you the right to get on the nerves of your fellows. This journey of yours is not supposed to be all fun and games. The future of an entire planet hangs in the balance. Always remember that, Sonic, son of Devlin."

"Yeah, whatever," Sonic replied. He hopped onto the couch and took off his shoes. Eberon shook his head in mild disappointment.

_To think that the world's future depends on this hedgehog, _Eberon said to himself, _but we have to trust the hand of fate, and hope it is for the best_.


	37. Chapter 37: Meanwhile

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

**Author's Note**: I never knew just how creepy Ragozine looked…ScarletEbon has just uploaded fan-art for him, and it actually scares me a little. I must have a darker mind than I previously thought. Also, the long-awaited ShadAmy art on Chapter 33 is up, as is an art of Amy's Heroic form! Yayness!

Anyway, let's see how some of the minor characters are doing.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Miss Vahtri, when's my big sister gonna be back?" Mikael whined as he tugged on Vahtri's multi-colored apron. Vahtri had agreed to keep an eye on Tahra's little brother for a while longer. With finals over, she could easily keep an eye on the hyperactive and inquisitive little hedgehog.

"I'm not sure _when _she'll be back," Vahtri replied, "but she'll be back, I promise." Satisfied with his answer, the nine-year-old settled down. When he returned to his sitter's main chamber, his eyes took notice of a portrait of a much younger Vahtri, apparently with her parents. The father was a large, dark grey echidna, and next to him was the mother, a sweet-faced echidna colored like moist earth, bedecked with the same jewelry the daughter was now wearing.

"Are these your mom and dad, Miss Vahtri?" Mikael asked. Vahtri came over and glanced at the portrait, and affirmed that it was the truth.

"Yes. My mother was taken away by the Judgment not long ago, and my father disappeared about ten years ago. They were both such wonderful people. I've been living in this house on my own ever since."

"Tahra said that our mom and dad were killed by those bad guys in the big white tower too…in fact, I was there…it was scary."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to…"

Mikael was extremely glad about this. His experiences in the Tower of Judgment were not ones he would wish to go through, nor would he wish them on anyone else. He had seen all of the fiendish work that the Judgment, the Black Arms and the other servants of the Meteor Parasite firsthand. He had met all of the fiends personally...and he got a good look at Geddon himself, and heard his voices…

"_Nazo…"_

"_L-lord Geddon! W-what solicits this visit?"_

"_I trust everything is going well."_

"_There have been many failures, but I do have something special for you."_

_Geddon turned one of his many heads toward Mikael and stared at him with a single unblinking eye. Five pairs of horns, curved like a great bull's were upon his head, which was colored like vomit. A pair of great insect-like mandibles completed the horrible picture. What was worse was the voice came from it…it was the voice that would pierce at the very soul of Mikael's big sister._

"_Soooo, little one, are you enjoying yourself?"_

"_Uh, no…" Mikael retorted._

"_Goooood. Now hold still, this won't hurt…much." Geddon opened up his jaws a little bit, and pressed the tips of the mandibles into Mikael's arm, piercing his veins like a syringe. He injected something into the boy's bloodstream. Geddon released his grip, and the wounds shut before bleeding could start._

"_Wh-what did you do to me?" Mikael demanded. _

"_Oh, you'll see in time," the Meteor Parasite cackled._

Mikael never figured out what was injected into him, but he feared the worst. Thankfully, he was able to get his mind of that when his eyes fell upon another picture…a photograph of her and Knuckles, except younger. Both appeared to be lightly dusted with flour, and seemed very happy.

"Is that…you and Knuckles?" he asked.

"Yeah…we were good friends, then." Vahtri had a dreamy look in her eyes when she said this.

Mikael laughed. "Vahtri and Knuxy, sitting a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Knuckles with the baby carriage!"

Vahtri didn't seem insulted in the least by this. She had already done the k-i-s-s-i-n-g part, and the love part. Now the final piece was needed...

-- -- -- -- -- --

Cream was counting her lucky stars. The demon lord who was holding her prisoner was practically eating out of the palm of her hand, and all she had to do to keep him placid was slink all over him. Sure, she may have been objectifying herself, but at least it kept the fiend busy. The soldiers also found her enticing as well, and she could get them to do just about anything she wanted, short of outright rebellion against their leader.

As she spent more and more time around Leawdak, she noticed things contrary to his original nature, as if someone else was there…fighting for control. She had heard that Armeil was once a good being. If she could convince Tails to turn away from the Judgment…maybe there was hope for the angel yet. She just had to coax him out. And soon she got her chance.

As Cream turned to leave his room one day, she heard him grunt and groan, as if in pain. The demon was holding his head and shaking it, trying to force something back into his mind. As she watched, the faint image of a dark blue echidna, decked with great white wings, seemed to be exuded from the demon's body.

"Damn you…why won't you stay down!" the demon cried. "Damn it…" It looked like Leawdak was losing control, signified by the increasing opacity of the dark blue echidna. Using the demon's body, the other spirit raced over and lay before Cream.

"You…rabbit! Help me!"

"How can I help? Are you…"

"Yes, I am Armeil…the real Armeil...not the leader of Judgment…"

Cream wasn't sure how to react. This had happened before, but never had the "real" Armeil been able to take control. This one seemed to have good intentions.

"What can I do?"

"Dagger…desk…aim…neck…"

Cream glanced around. There was a small table with a few papers on it, and indeed, there was a dagger. It had a serrated, curved and orange blade, with a black hilt and handle. She rushed over to the desk, snatched up the dagger, and thrust it straight into the back of Leawdak's neck. The demon screamed in pain, furiously flapping his wings. The dagger began to glow white, and it looked like a dark blue lump was being forced out of his back. Moments later, the lump pushed its way out, revealing the same dark blue echidna that had spoken to her moments before.

Leawdak pulled the dagger out of his neck and rose to his feet. The wound instantly healed, but his pride was severely damaged. A look of insanity was in his eyes. But before he could react, the dark blue echidna leapt between them, and grabbed Cream's hand.

"Chaos Control!" The two disappeared from the room, and found themselves several miles away.

"You…you saved me…" Cream gasped.

"There is no need for gratitude. Let me be brief. For six thousand years I was under the control of my own darkness. But recently, I finally saw the horror of my doings, and struggled to break free, but failed. That dagger was the only thing that could free me, and now I am, thanks to you."

"You're…Armeil?"

"Yes. My darkness is still fused with Leawdak, so he is also me. For now, I must find my fellow Seraphim and beg for their forgiveness. Judging by our position, I believe that the nearest one is Milos…

_Tails…_Cream thought happily. Through a stroke of incredible luck, she had managed to escape the clutches of the demon lord, and also gained the friendship of another of the Seraphim.

"Perhaps we should head to Westopolis first…" Cream suggested. "I have friends there who would benefit from your assistance greatly."

"If it helps me atone for my crimes, then let it be so…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

A knock on the door interrupted the work of Vector and Charmy, who were recuperating from yet another attack by Judgment grunts. They had been part of a small unit of rebels, fighting against the despotic rule of the angels. Their resistance's effect was minimal at best, but it kept their attention away from the mostly helpless citizens.

"Charmy, get it, would ya?" Vector said. Charmy buzzed over to the door, and opened it. His jaw dropped open.

"Cream!" he exclaimed.

"Hey, Charms. Glad to see me?"

Charmy flew in a loop with excitement. "You betcha! Who's your friend?"

"You wouldn't believe if I told you," Cream replied.

"What's with the ruckus, Charmy?" Vector said as he came over. "Well, it's the rabbit…and why is there an angel behind you?"

Armeil decided to introduce himself. "Believe it or not, I am Armeil, one of the Seraphim…at least, I was."

"So, are you gonna join us, then?" Charmy asked.

Armeil nodded. "Yes…to help atone for the crimes I have committed."

"This is so sweet!" Charmy chimed. "We got a big-time angel on our side!"

"Yes…but I'll have no control over my old minions, and my power has been reduced. Still, I should be a major help. I know the Tower of Judgment like the back of my hand."

"Well, welcome aboard, I guess," Vector said, and presented his hand. Armeil stared at it blankly.

"What? Haven't you ever shaken hands before? Just grab my left hand with your own left."

Armeil did so, and the two shook hands.

"Welcome aboard, Armeil…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

"You poor thing," Vera cooed to Regal as she fondled his head quills. Regal had a large entourage of girls, but Vera, a grey bat with a bust rivaling Rouge's, was his first favorite. Unbeknownst to him, Vera had a dark secret…and it would change him forever.

"Everything I've worked for, Vera…" Regal whined, "…my popularity, my stellar grades, all of it is coming apart! All because of my cousin and that Sonic character! He made a fool out of me!"

"You want revenge, don't you, Regally-poo?" Vera said. She had found her opportunity. The master would be pleased. "Y'know, there's a way."

"That's wishful thinking…Regal here is all washed up."

Vera began the approach. "Didn't you always do what you do to please your grandmother?"

Regal was clueless. "Yeah…what's your point?"

"Don't you want to do things your way? Live by your own rules?"

"Get to the point, Vera."

"Let's say I _know _someone who can get you that kind of power really quick?"

Regal was getting interested. "You've gotten my interest."

"How about I introduce you to him?" Vera said. She took a pendant from between her breasts, rubbed on it, and stuck in Regal's ear.

_Well, well…this is certainly an interesting mind, _came the voice, a clown-like one.

"_Who are you? Are you the one who can get me power?" _Regal asked fervently.

_I am…but if you wish to serve me, never question my identity._

"_Besides power and all, what other benefits do I get?"_

_Power is the only true benefit. Everything else comes from power._

"_Heh…works for me. I'm tired of this environment anyway."_

_You are making a wise choice, Regal. For now, I'll give you a small amount of increased ability, just to test you. Serve me well, and I'll give you more._

"_Just get on with it, whoever you are!"_

The voice chuckled. _Now, this may sting a little… _

A stinging feeling coursed through Regal's body for a few seconds.

_Welcome to the winning side, Regal, _the voice said when the sensation stopped.

"_Thanks, boss." _Regal said with a grin. Vera plucked the pendant out of his ear.

"C'mon, Vera…we're out of here. I have to get to know this boss of yours." The two left Regal's room and prepared to make their escape.

"_Tahra…and Sonic…you WILL pay for humiliating me. As will everyone…no one laughs at Regal the Great and gets away with it…"_

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Regal and Vera are missing!" Vahtri exclaimed when she overheard the current gossip from one of her friends the next day. "But…why do you think they would just leave?"

"I dunno, but I'm glad Regal's gone," her friend, a rabbit, replied. "He was a real jerk, thinking he was better than everyone. The only reason he got good grades was that he cheated whenever he could. The teachers would look away because he's a grandson of the high priestess. Regal always took the easy road."

"Maybe he was insecure, like he was always trying to please someone," Vahtri sighed. "But I won't miss Vera. She was so full of herself…how could she flaunt her own body like that!"

"I know Vera said she was just independent," the rabbit replied, "but you're right…she took it way too far. And I heard rumors that Vera had something really insidious to hide…like she was a spy for some infernal organization."

"That's crazy talk!"

"I heard her talking to someone invisible while in the bathroom once…talking about all this weird supernatural stuff. I don't want to go into the details. Besides, we'll be late."

Vahtri rolled her eyes. "…Late for classes? Don't be silly. Finals are done…the entire week is free from classes!"

"Oh, that's right…how could I be so stupid!"

-- -- -- -- --

**Author's Note**: If you can't figure out the significance of the first portrait...you aren't reading hard enough.


	38. Chapter 38: War: What Is It Good For?

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

**Author's Note**: Since ol' ScarletEbon is getting annoyed at fanartdotnet, she decided to start an account at Deviantart. Go to gaminefansdotdeviantartdotcom to see her work. It will upload faster, but not all of it is up right now. Anyway, it's time to get back to the main plot! We find Shadow and Amy's group on the way to Shadow's final destination: the chameleon dojo, where the Great Sensei of Chameleons lives.

-- -- -- -- --

"There's one thing I have to know," Shadow asked Espio as the group was making their way toward the dojo where Espio grew up. "How have so many places been able to avoid notice by humans? I never knew any of these places existed before I started this crazy journey."

"When the angels attacked, barriers that obscured these cities shattered like glass. We did not want to be known by anyone who served the Meteor Parasite, willingly or not.

"What do you mean?" Shadow exclaimed. "Are you saying that all the humans were unwilling servants of this Meteor Parasite, Espio? Why did the angels destroy them all?"

Espio thought about this for a second. "I theorize that the humans may have been nearly able to realize the rule of this evil, and they had to be extinguished before they could rebel. Your creator may have seen the truth long before the Judgment caught on that the humans were rebelling, and thus was able to travel to these places. Gerald Robotnik was an amazing man, no doubt about…"

Espio was interrupted by rustling in the bushes and the trees. It was an ambush of sorts, but Espio knew its true nature. He went in front of the group and called out to the hidden defenders.

"Hold your shurikens, my friends. We come in peace." After a few moments, seven chameleons popped out of various hiding places, and Espio went over to greet one, a dark-green one.

"It's been many years, Espio," the chameleon said. The two performed an esoteric handshake of sorts in greeting. "Have you had success in your detective business?"

"Only moderate success, Naj…but I return for a far more important reason." Nack suddenly started laughing, and everyone looked at him, wondering what was going on.

"C'mon…that HAS to be a pun!" Nack guffawed. "Espio...Nage…Espionage? Your parents have to have been drunk when they named you two!"

"We're not brothers, Nack. It is mere coincidence. Anyway…" Espio motioned Shadow to come forward, and Shadow presented the Mark of Penitence on his arm, and the dark green chameleon raised an eyebrow.

"Oh…so it's finally happening…" the chameleon began.

"Does everyone know the dang legend?" Rouge exclaimed out of nowhere. "It seems like every race we've met knows the legend of these Sacred Arms off of the top of their heads!"

"You were not raised in the bat realm, correct, Rouge?" Sven asked. "If you were, you'd know." Rouge saw Sven's response as logical, and was quiet again. Naj continued.

"Well, we do have quite a problem…one that we're sharing with the bats as well."

_That's awfully convenient_, Amy thought. _Shadow and I can end our journeys at the same time._

-- -- -- -- --

The group made their way to the dojo, and made their way inside the compound. Now they waited to meet with the Sensei. Meanwhile, Amy went off in search of Master Khang, who she learned before was alive and well. She soon found him sitting in one of the meditation gardens. She approached him, and sat down nearby. He seemed to take notice, indicated only by a smile.

"I sense you are very happy," he said. "Perhaps it is because of Shadow."

"You always know what I'm thinking, sensei. Yes, Shadow and I are together again. I'm also happy to know that _you're_ alive."

The old man chuckled. "I am _still_ counting my blessings, Amy, but it is awfully lonely, being the last human on Earth. At least I can live my life here, where I can continue to do what I enjoy. Chameleon children are such good students."

"But there's supposed to be trouble here. I'd assume you know."

The old man bowed his head. "Sadly, not all chameleons are as noble as the ones who rescued. One of the ninjas here has forsaken his path to rule over dragons. He has become a dark dracomancer, like your nemesis Ragozine. This rogue chameleon has forged an unholy alliance with Kalaran, an evil prince of dragons who has a vendetta against both chameleons and bats that goes back two millenia."

"How do they know all this?" Amy asked.

"It certainly puzzles me as well," Master Khang replied frankly. "Do you expect me to know _everything_, rose petal?"

Amy was silent for a moment. Master Khang, though a wise old man, had his occasions of child-like annoyance.

"Have you heard about the vendetta?"

"A chameleon and bat hero beat him up. What else is there to tell?"

Moments later, Shadow appeared as looking for Amy, and he recoiled with surprise when he saw Amy sitting with Master Khang. He rubbed his eyes, not sure if he was going nuts.

"Amy…i-is that…" Shadow stammered.

"Greetings, Shadow," the old man said with a chuckle. Yes, I'm alive. Poke me if you must."

"I thought all the humans were dead!" Shadow exclaimed.

"Well, you thought wrong…" Amy quipped. "Oh, is there a reason why you came looking for us? I guess it's time to meet with the leaders."

"Go ahead, rose petal…I don't want to stop you."

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Velcome to you all," the bat leader stated. "I am Vladamir, zee Boss of Bats. You must be Shadow und Amy, zee Chosen Heroes. As you may know, ve bats and chameleons have long been allies, ever since zee day our two greatest heroes defeated zee dark dragon Kalaran."

The old chameleon sensei nodded. "But it seems Kalaran has risen again, thanks to an ex-student of mine, whose greed for power led him astray. Now our spies have determined that an army of evil dragons, supposedly given to him by Faluzoore, is ready to mount an attack on our two realms."

"Who is this rogue?" Espio asked. "Is it Yanu? I had always sensed trouble in him."

"Yes…" the old chameleon replied. "What is worse, he was supposed to be my successor, which should have been enough for him. But he always wanted more. Those who seek easy paths to power always stray from what is decent."

"Vhat has happened has happened, Sensei. Ve must concentrate on zee task at hand."

"Have you even made any effort to stop these creatures?" Raiden asked.

"Yes,but all of our defenses have been in vain, sadly," one of the Sensei's attendants stated. "Many noble warriors, including a few of my own friends, met grisly ends too disturbing to speak of. Let that assure you that all that we could do has been done."

"I don't know vhy zose hedgehogs at Sylvania glorify war zo much," Vladamir growled. "It's almost zickening. It ees as if zey know not the true horrors of var."

Shadow was getting bored with this prattling. "Look, all Amy and I have to do is strike at the enemy before they unleash their all-out attack. We beat the crap out of Yanu and Kalaran, and all's well, right? What about all of you? You're not just going to sit on the sidelines while we do all the work, I hope."

"We will do everything we can to fortify our position," the sensei said. "Fighting one's own battles is the way of the ninja. But our hope is that it will not be necessary."

"It's settled, then. We attack as soon as possible," Amy said decisively.

-- -- -- -- -- --

It was yet another night under the stars for the sacred lovers. They stood out on the balcony, staring out at the grim peak where their next foe waited for them. But a different thing was on Amy's mind. The words of Vladamir…the hedgehogs knew nothing of war.

"Shadow…I'm starting to feel very uncomfortable about this fighting we've been doing."

"Our enemies are irredeemably evil. Those creeps at the Judgment, the Black Arms, the dark dracomancers…they've sold themselves to a destructive cause. They deserve to meet justice."

"I know…but I overheard something…something about hyenas and hedgehogs being ancient enemies. Hyenas, evil as they might be, surely aren't soulless…they would have wives, girlfriends, mothers, and children to go home to. Even _if _they're serving the Meteor Parasite…I couldn't bring myself to fight them. I hate being a weapon."

"I suppose you're right. I remember the things I had to do to save Maria when I was on the ARK…I killed human soldiers. Yes, they were threatening her, but now I look back in horror. They were victims of the paranoia and power madness of the human establishment as Maria was. I murdered many of them to keep Maria safe."

The two turned to face each other, and clasped hands. "Shadow…let's make a promise."

"What kind of promise?"

"When and if we survive this horrible journey and beat the Parasite…that we'll never use our hands and bodies for destruction ever again. We'll help make a world where no one fights…a world where no one will have a _reason_ to fight...a world where everyone can be happy."

Shadow nodded. "Though it leaves a lot of room for perversion, I know how you think."

The two sealed the vow with a mutual peck on the cheek.

-- -- -- -- --

"March, you whelps!" Krynku roared to his marching troops. All across the badlands, hyenas had come to join the legion of the great General Krynku, also known as the Liberator of Hyenas and Hedgehogbane. He was mounted on a lesser ground dragon, the steed of choice for hyena officers, on loan from Ragozine himself.

He gazed upon his men, marching in perfect lines. In the ancient days, they would have been disorganized and chaotic. Krynku had absolute control of his army, following his orders without question. He gazed upon the mass of warriors, and smiled. His personal battalion was at least two thousand strong, and the other regiments totaled another sixty-thousand, give or take ten. And it was still growing. The dream of every hyena boy was to serve under Krynku's command, and the greatest honor they could get was a nod from him, or hearing "Keep up the good work, boy" said to them. They would die where they stood if Hedgehogbane gave the word.

Of course, Krynku could care less about the things these soldiers left behind. War was glorious to him, and the screams of the dying were music to his ears, more so when the enemy was doing the screaming. The sounds of clanging swords, the smell of fresh corpses, and the sight of thousands dead, left for the vultures…these didn't affect him at all. Krynku, when he was young, was notorious as a merciless and cold-hearted killer, which was considered admirable in a warrior.

The hyena general was also popular. Hyena girls would crowd around him, and would scream for him to let them have his babies. But he disdained manners of the bed, preferring manners of the battlefield.

As the march continued, he noticed one of his troops slowing down, and went to correct this intolerable problem.

"Get moving, you cur! This isn't the time to take a nap!"

The soldier immediately perked up and continued onward without protest. Though the general was popular, he was also feared. No one dared question the Liberator.

-- -- -- -- -- --

_Rouge couldn't move. Try as she could, the bonds that kept her stuck to a throne held fast. All around her were walls made of gold, rimmed with platinum. In the center of the room were two echidnas…one of them was Knuckles, the other was veiled and completely covered in a bride's outfit. The two were holding hands, nodding and mouthing out the words of a wedding ceremony. Knuckles turned his back to Rouge, and kissed the unknown bride. She tried to call out to him, but she could not speak._

_All of a sudden, this image was blocked by the great head and neck of some abomination. It had five pairs of bull-like horns upon its vomit-colored head, a single eye and a pair of insect-like mandibles. Then another of these terrible heads moved in front of her, and then moved away. Knuckles and the unknown bride disappeared, replaced by a great crowd of demons, diverse in shape, all terrible in form. They were cheering, hooting and cackling. One of the heads returned again, and grabbed her clothing with his jaws. Finally, the creature pulled on them…_

Rouge awoke in a cold sweat. This nightmare had only occurred once before, but it disturbed her greatly. Then she remembered a lyric from a song that Shadow often listened to…

_This shining city built of gold, a far cry from innocence,  
There's more than meets the eye round here, look to the waters of the deep.  
A city of evil.  
There sat a seven-headed beast, ten horns raised from his head.  
Symbolic woman sits on his throne, but hatred strips her and leaves her naked.  
The Beast and the Harlot._

"The Beast and the Harlot…" Rouge muttered under her breath. "Could that song have meant more?" She glanced over in Nack's direction. She could sense him watching her, unmoving and unblinking. She heard him shift his position, but nothing more. The presence of the weasel was a relaxing one…maybe he cared after all. Rouge lay back and waited for sleep to come again.


	39. Chapter 39: Racist Intentions?

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

**Author's Note: **Holy kre-jhap! Almost forty chapters and still going! And good fan-art! But don't let ScarletEbon hog all the fun! I'll take semi-decent fan-art as well. Don't be shy! An art of Regal and his hot groupies is up on fanartsdotnet, and Sonic's Heroic form and Mikael (with big sis) on ScarletEbon's Deviantart account. Ph33r his pimpness! Also, I'm working on a new fiction alongside of this: it came to me when I watched a Flash movie…

-- -- -- -- --

Sonic suddenly awoke to the hotel's wake up call, which, in turn, woke everyone else up at varying speeds. Sonic was the first to get up, so he got to the shower first. This, of course, was bad for Eberon, since Sonic liked singing rock songs in the shower. Tahra didn't seem to mind this, however; Sonic was a pretty good singer, actually.

The door to the bathroom swung open after a few minutes, and Sonic emerged, all squeaky clean and a towel around his waist, finishing on a high note. Eberon shut his ears, trying to block what he thought was noise. He was relieved when Sonic finally ended.

"Would you mind not singing like that, Sonic?" Eberon said. "It's very…annoying."

"I get next shower!" Knuckles said as he rushed into the bathroom.

-- -- -- -- --

The group was now on their way to the Kitsune Lord's palace. On the way, the group passed through a large market square. All through the city were almost thousands of kitsune, broken only by about a hundred members of other races. Most of the kitsune there had two tails, but a small number of them had three. Sonic wondered what this was all about, and Tahra, being who she was, was able to answer that.

"Kitsune social classes are genetically based. Three tailed kitsune are superior to two-tailed, even though the two tails are more common. The Kitsune Lord himself has a total of four, making him the head honcho in this city."

"Again with the discrimination…" Sonic growled.

"It's not like the commoners are treated badly. Three-tailed kitsune also have greater magical abilities, but with all this technology, it may have faded over time."

As this was being said, a yell from the crowd rang out as two kitsune around Mikael's age, a boy and a girl, both with two tails, bolted through the mass of people, with a middle-aged, three-tailed kitsune in pursuit. The two managed to push their way through the crowd, and passed a few feet from Sonic and his group.

"Come back here, you thieves!" the three-tailed kitsune cried.

"Should we help him?" Tahra asked the group. Without responding to this, Sonic started off to catch the children. It would easy for him…he was the fastest thing on two legs, after all. The rest of the group set off in pursuit as well, just to make sure Sonic wasn't running into trouble.

Sonic was bounding off of building walls, handstand jumping from street signs and doing just about anything else he could to stay above the crowd. The children proved to be very slippery, as Sonic nearly lost them a few times, but in the end, the two thieves made a wrong turn, and Sonic soon had them cornered. They were cowering in fear, fearful of what might happen to them. These were obviously poor little ones. As Sonic looked closer, he could definitely see that these were not pureblood kitsune…they were half-breeds!

"Okay, you two little bandits," Sonic said to them as calmly as possible in Brymbaal, "just that bag you stole to me, and I'll let you two go."

The owner of the bag finally arrived, and came up to Sonic.

"I must thank you, kind sir, for cornering these two dirty, thieving half-breeds. I'll make sure they get severely punished for this crime."

"Punished!" Sonic exclaimed. "Hey, they're just kids!"

"Children or not…they still committed a crime. Besides, this has been the latest of a spree these children have been a part of." The three-tailed kitsune glanced at Sonic's arm, and noticed the Mark of Penitence.

"Say, you must be this Sonic fellow I've been hearing about," he said, now losing his focus on the two children. "You're here to see the Kitsune Lord, are you not?" The two half-breeds, meanwhile, found a nearby fire escape and started toward it. Sonic, of course, noticed this, and a single look stopped the thieves in their tracks.

"Look, buddy…let these little guys off, huh?" Sonic asked. The two kids nodded nervously and presented the bag to the three-tailed kitsune, who surprisingly pushed it away.

"Keep it, you filthy mongrels! It's tainted, anyway. Besides, it is of no real worth to me anyway." The three-tailed kitsune stormed off, leaving Sonic and the two youngsters in the alley.

"Uh…thank you, kind sir," the male half-kitsune said nervously. "We're really sorry that we had to steal from the noble…"

"What's in that bag, anyway?" Sonic asked. "He said it was worthless."

The boy opened up the bag and pulled out a small workman's hammer, two small metal plates with holes in them and a box of nails.

"That's it?" Sonic exclaimed. "Some stuff from a hardware store? What would you kids need with this stuff? Are you building something?"

"It's none of your beeswax!" the boy retorted as he put the stuff back in the bag. He started up the fire escape. The girl stopped for a moment and gave Sonic a look of gratitude before following the boy. Moments later, the rest of Sonic's group caught up.

"Hey, Sonic…did you find those thieves?" Knuckles asked. Sonic nodded.

"Yeah, but they're just desperate little things. They were half-breeds, like Tails."

"Poor things," Tahra sighed. "They probably had to steal just to survive."

"The Kitsune Lord is _so _gonna answer for this!" Sonic said, clenching a fist in determination. He turned around and started marching back the way he had come from.

-- -- -- -- --

The group traversed the seemingly endless streets of Quadtalia, but soon found the office of the Kitsune Lord. Only Sonic and Tahra were allowed to enter the office of the Kitsune Lord this time around, so Eberon and Knuckles had to stay in the lobby and wait. The two hedgehogs boarded an elevator, and it began to rise, all the way to the eighty-ninth floor of the building.

"Remember, Sonic…let me do the talking," Tahra said. "I do have connections after all."

"He really needs to explain himself when it comes to those half-breeds needing to steal just to survive. It isn't right."

"Sonic…like it or not, it's how things have been for the past, oh, six thousand years. Do you really think you can change a sacred law that's been in place for that long? You're thinking like Eggman!"

"I don't care…I WILL change it somehow. It just isn't right!"

The elevator door opened as Sonic said this. The two exited the elevator, and before long, were face to face with the Kitsune Lord in his office. The white-furred kitsune was much taller than most kitsune, about five feet tall, and, like Tahra had said, had four immense tails. He was wearing a red robe very similar to the ones the angels wore. He has a long snout, making him appear to be almost like a wolf rather than a fox.

"Ah, I've been expecting you, Sonic…" the Kitsune Lord said amiably. "I have heard of your travails via the Echidna Cardinals…your skill is quite impressive. Well, you seem to be an expert at defeating powerful forces of evil."

"It's what I do, sir," Sonic said respectfully. He'd let the Kitsune Lord have a piece of his mind when the time came. "So, what bad guys do I have to pummel to get the kitsune blessing?"

"There are reports of a colony of half-kitsune angels several miles from here. Our forces have somehow been unable to infiltrate the colony, and we feel that you'll be just the man…er…hedgehog, for the job. Their leader is one of the six Seraphim. I suggest you be very careful."

"Whatever," Sonic replied. "Anything else you want to say?" The Kitsune Lord shook his head to indicate that he did not.

Sonic decided to launch into one of his moral indignation speeches. "Well I do…what's with your stigma against half-kitsunes, anyway? They look just like purebloods!"

The Kitsune Lord rose from his seat. "Are you _questioning_ the sacred and just system that's defined our society for millennia? You are obviously ignorant as to why it is the way it is!"

"Just? What kind of just system leaves entire races out in the cold, while the top ones roll in splendor! It's disgusting!" Tahra stopped Sonic's banter by yanking him out of the room before he could rant further. When they were back on the elevator, she was quite mad.

"What the hell is your problem, Sonic?" Tahra screamed at him before calming herself down. "I agree that the caste system in place is unjust, but that doesn't give you a reason to spit in the face of the ruler of an entire species about it!"

Sonic sighed. "Okay, you're right…I shouldn't have done that. But there's something about him I don't like…besides the obvious, anyway. I smell a rat. He seemed _too _eager for me to do it. I think he's up to something not good."

"Maybe you're right," Tahra replied. "When I last heard about him, he was call for a campaign to clean up the kitsune race. I wonder what he means."

"It means trouble to _this_ blue hedgehog. Maybe Tails and I can reason with the Seraphim. You, Knuckles and Eberon do what you can to investigate this 'racial clean-up' business while we're gone."

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Just like old times, eh, buddy?" Sonic quipped as he and Tails, having reverted to his sixteen-year-old body, ran, at a speed Sonic preferred, down the road to the so-called angel colony. It had been quite some time since the two traveled together, just the two of them. Ever since Knuckles joined their little camaraderie, it had always been the three of them.

"I suppose it's nice to be just the two of us again," Tails sighed. "By the way, did you notice anything about Eberon that seemed familiar to you?"

"Not really…why do you ask?" Sonic asked.

"Oh, nothing really. It's nothing at all."

Sonic really hated it when things were being kept secret from him. He wondered what Tails was hiding. But that concern moved to the back of his mind when he and Tails were suddenly ambushed by three guards,that leapt out of the bushes, holding energy spears with white-hot points to their throats. Sonic glanced at the guards…they didn't wings. If they were trying to strike fear into their hearts, a big pair of feathered wings stuck out of one's back was good.

"Not the best way to introduce yourselves," Sonic quipped as he nudged the spear away from his throat, and backed away, in an attempt to avoid hostility.

"You must be the latest of the goons the Kitsune Lord has sent our way…" one of the guards retorted. "Consider yourself lucky that Miss Naylet is so benevolent, otherwise we'd pierce your throats right here and now…"

The name "Naylet" immediately caused Tails to pull the spear away from him. Never had he thought he would hear the name of his dearest sister again, at least not in the past tense. One of the guards notice Tails was a half-kitsune, and motioned his two companions to remove their own spears.

"Say, buddy…you look a LOT like Miss Naylet…" the guard said inquisitively.

"I'm her brother…" Tails said. Sonic jumped with exasperation.

"YOU HAVE A SISTER?" he exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me!"

"I haven't told you a lot of things, Sonic…" Tails sighed.

"So, you're Milos, eh? Then this blue guy must be Sonic. Miss Naylet foresaw your arrival, but apparently neglected to tell us what you look like. Sorry about the unwelcome welcome."

"Meh, it's all good," Sonic said more cheerfully, now that the immediate threat to his life had passed. "So, you gonna show us the way?"


	40. Chapter 40: A Victory Too Easily Gained

**Chapter Forty**

**Me**: Day-mn! Forty chapters, tons of incredible art by ScarletEbon (c'mon people, don't let her hog all the fun!), and lots of reviews (sort of anyway). The latest fanart from ScarletEbon is Shadow's Heroic form…and it's cooler than I imagined! There's also a Sonic x Tahra pic on her Deviantart account.

**Shadow**: Only she could make me look even more badass than I already am! -badass pose-

**Tahra**: rolls eyes Anyway, I'm not usually into cute and fuzzy pics, but I take exception to the one with me and Sonic. It screams romance. It evens puts the one with you and Amy to shame, Shads.

**Shadow**: ….

-- -- -- -- --

"Man, this is taking forever, even with my enhanced speed," Regal moaned as he and Vera ran across the great wasteland, far from the eyes of the hyena army. "Where exactly are you leading me? I'm getting REALLY impatient."

"Keep a lid on it, Regal. We're almost there."

Regal wagged his pointing finger angrily. "You said that very thing twenty miles ago. You better tell me right now or…" Regal skidded to a stop when he saw their destination before them, and his jaw dropped open. A huge golden pyramid rose from the barren ground, glinting in the moonlight. On the front of it was the image of an eye with seven tentacles growing around it.

"Here we are…the Pyramid of Hasyn. Our destination is inside the pyramid."

"Uh…is this where my new boss lives?" Regal asked nervously. He was starting to have second thoughts about this whole evil business.

"Look, if you want to keep your power, you'll have to follow me in."

Vera went up to the pyramid and pressed her hand on a secret switch concealed in the pyramid's outer structure. The top of the pyramid began to glow as Regal came up next to her, watching the glow. A bolt of blue lightning shot out from the pyramid and struck the area where the two were standing.

Instead of killing them, the bolt transported the two to a different area…a different dimension, in fact. The two were on a large island floating in a purple and black void. The island itself was centered by a gold-walled city with buildings glittering from gem dust. The sounds of wild celebration seemed to be coming from the city, as if a party was going on. Regal asked about this.

"This city is on non-stop party mode, Regal…and it's wilder than you can possibly imagine. You might want to avert your eyes. Your soul may not be able to take it yet."

"No party is too wild for teh Regal! I was the Academy's premier party animal!"

"Parties like these in Hasyn would be against the _law_ in the mortal world. Wild sex, endless alcohol, constant gambling and even a little arson and murder is common. It makes Vegas seem like a monastery."

"That does seem like overdoing it a little," Regal said, in a slightly worried tone.

"You'll learn to love it in time. Now come on."

-- -- -- -- -- --

"This is the final leg of our journey, Ames," Shadow said with anticipation as the two flew towards the fortress where they knew the mad chameleon and the dark dragon Kalaran lay in waiting for them. "Once we defeat those two, we can finally get Masamune and Mjolnir…"

"…And then we'll go after the Meteor Parasite."

The two exchanged a smile and a nod just before they spotted the fortress' first line of defense: five elephant-sized black dragons flying in perfect formation. The dragons screeched loudly before moving in to attack.

"Ah, the welcoming committee," Shadow quipped as he prepared to face this first wave. He drew the Chaos Edge and readied it. Amy seemed annoyed.

"Why can't I do that?" she complained.

"You have fireballs and razor sharp claws, Amy…"

"Oh, right. But still…"

Amy was rammed head on by one of the dragons, while barely clipping Shadow. Of course, it took more than that to take Amy down. Using the beast's own weight against it, she rolled off of it, and grabbed one of its wings. The laws of physics were not with the dragon that day, and had its wing ripped off. It tumbled to the valley floor thousands of feet below.

_It had to be done…_Amy said to herself.

Shadow quickly disposed of two more dragons with a few swings of the Chaos Edge, sending them spiraling to the ground as well. Before Shadow could take on the other two, they stopped and hovered in front of him. Shadow turned around to see Amy holding her hand out, staring at the creatures intensely.

"Dracomancer mojo," were the only two words Amy said to explain what she was doing. She came closer to the dragons, and began to pet them and scratch them. Shadow was still dumbfounded.

"They're on our side now, Shadow. They won't hurt us now." Amy hopped onto one dragon and returned to her normal form. Seeing that it was safe, Shadow mounted the other and did so as well.

"Good thinking…" Shadow complemented. "Now we can save our energy for the head honchos." The two spurred their new steeds onward. But instead of heading straight from the front door, the dragons started to glide around the mountain, toward its backside. When Shadow realized this, he looked at Amy, who smirked and gave a victory hand gesture.

"Showoff…" Shadow grumbled, rolling his eyes.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Going around the back turned out to be a good idea. The alarm set off by the dragons had mustered most of the defenses to the front. There was no doubt that Yanu and Kalaran were baffled. This bought Amy and Shadow sufficient time to reach the main lair of the two masterminds, and it made them wonder just how smart these two were.

As the two made their way around the fortress, a dreadfully familiar voice rang through the halls, stopping Shadow and Amy in their tracks while they listened in.

"Yanu, you egotistical fool! Your lack of competence in managing this fortress has been the last straw. You beg and plead for me to give you power, and yet you fail to use it effectively! I am disgusted with you…"

"No…it CAN'T be him…" Amy said with clenched teeth.

"Lord Ragozine…he's young and inexperienced," another voice came, probably Kalaran's.

Ragozine seemed angry. "Kalaran…I didn't bring you back from the dead to have you defy me as well. Yanu has failed me, and now he must die."

"We were about to mount our final attack on the chameleon and bat domains…"

"You two haveignored my ordersfor the last time! Now you _both_ die!" The sound of a loud explosion came a few seconds later, much to the horror of the two eavesdroppers. Then they heard Ragozine laughing, the insane laugh of true evil.

Amy, now incensed to the point of rage, started forward as fast as she could. That demon was evil enough to take out his own minions as he wished, and she had wanted to save Yanu from the path he had taken. Now it was too late.

"Amy! Get back here!" Shadow called back. "We have no reason to fight him!" Seeing that his stubborn girlfriend was not about to listen to him in her current state of mind, he followed. If she was going to take on Ragozine, at least they should do it together.

Amy stopped just before the doorway and Shadow caught up. Shadow immediately noticed something about Amy's arm…the Mark of Penitence had disappeared from her arm. She didn't seem to notice this, but her rage seemed to be coming to a boil, as her hair was starting to raise itself up. She was going Super again.

"Amy…" Shadow said just before the Super transformation went off. The burst of energy knocked him backwards, but he remained on his feet. Amy finally entered the room where Ragozine was, and the dracomancer turned to face her. He seemed surprised by Amy's Super form, but an idea came to him.

"Well, look what we have here…the little girl's finally got her full power back…perfect for me!" A dark aura surrounded Ragozine and he extended his hand toward Amy, and waited, but nothing happened, much to his dismay. Shadow saw this too, and was relieved.

"Even without the Mark, you can't control me anymore, Ragozine." Amy taunted. "In fact, I'm starting to wonder if you'll even be a challenge…especially when it's two against one." Shadow came in, almost on cue, assuming his Heroic form.

The dracomancer saw that he was obviously outmatched. The demon dragon who he now shared his body with was still recovering from being forced out of Amy's body not long ago, and was unable to help him. Ragozine saw the grave error he had committed by doing away with Yanu and Kalaran, and now started to regret it.

_Damn it…I have no choice but to retreat. But I won't leave without dealing some damage…_

Ragozine did a back flip, opened a panel in the wall and pressed a button the panel was hiding. Immediately, the entire fortress began shaking, and a siren began to sound.

"It's a pity we couldn't have our little grudge match, kiddies, but I must go now. This place is going to blow the whole mountain sky high in five minutes, and there are still dragons here."

"You'd kill off the very species you swore to protect…how despicable…" Amy said before attempting to stop Ragozine's escape. She failed, of course.

"We'll get him, Amy," Shadow said, "but right now we need to get out of here!"

"What about the other dragons?" she asked. Her concern for them was geniuine. "We can't just leave them here!"

"I agree, but five minutes isn't enough time to save them and ourselves, even _with _Chaos Control. I'm sorry, Amy. Please understand."

Amy sighed. "All right...let's get out of here." Shadow took Amy's hand, and used Chaos Control to warp back to where the dragons that had taken them. The two got on the dragons with a bit of difficulty, since the great winged beasts were frantically calling for their mates. Amy had to quickly calm the beasts so that they did not panic. Once they had mounted, the two rode the dragons away. Three minutes later, the whole mountain was consumed in a loud and fiery explosion, sending debris flying for many miles. The two dragons had to dodge as quickly as they could, but soon found safety in a nearby cave.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Once it was safe to come out, the two went to a cliff where they could view the collapsed mountainside; which they did with heavy hearts. At the same time, the two knew that their journeys of penitence had finally come to an end. The threat of Kalaran was no more. Now all they had to do was get the Sacred Arms before they could take on Ragozine, Enhillatu and the other fiends threatening the world.

The two heroes did manage to save the two dragons Amy had befriended before, but the two seemed angry. They screeched to the heavens at the sight of the exploded fortress, wailing in mourning. Amy could sense their pain, and she too shed tears for the ones the beasts had lost.

"Mates, friends and young…Ragozine cast them all aside like broken toys," Amy said angrily, tears streaming down her face. "I swear that masked monster will pay tenfold for every dragon he killed so thoughtlessly!" Shadow didn't like seeing Amy like this, so he hugged her from behind, which calmed her.

"Let's take this one step at a time, okay, Ames?"

"I guess I _was _getting ahead of myself…"

The two dragons now stopped wailing, and once Shadow and Amy had remounted, began flying back toward the chameleon dojo, where everyone was waiting for them.

-- -- -- -- --

"Well, Shaddy, how does it feel to finally have that Mark off of ya?" Nack asked rowdily as he gave Shadow a brisk pat on the back. The whole group was back together and just outside the dojo. "You've got all of your fancy-pants Chaos powers back, and now you can get those Sacred Arms!"

"That's something I'd like to ask," Rouge asked Nack, "where WOULD we go to do that?"

"I suppose you could go to Sylvania," Zeipha answered. "It's the hedgehog capital. They're the ones who keep the keys to the shrine of the Sacred Arms."

"Aren't Sonic and Tahra going to be heading there soon?" Amy asked excitedly. "It's gonna be great to see them again. By the way, do any of you know what Sylvania is like?" At this comment, Zeipha's eyes lit up with eagerness to divulge the nature of the great city.

"It's like a dreamland! It's so ancient, yet it's so modern! It's got wondrous architecture, amazing fashion, and above all, lots of great people! Quadtalia may be larger, but Sylvania is tops! I haven't been there since I was twelve, but I've wanted to go back so much!"

"Okay, we get it! It's a great place!" Ribik moaned. "But she's forgetting something…the residents vary widely in economic status and personality. Most of the rich people are really snobs, because of all their racial superiority and whatnot. The poor are, as a whole, either disgruntled with the world or just plain tired of things. Luckily, the high priestess of the Emerald Light, Elseah, who practically runs things, is a really nice old lady. She's voiced her protest against the caste system, but she can't do jack about it, despite her influence.

"Annoying aristocracy or not, we're going to Sylvania," Espio said. "Agreed?"

"Wouldn't I be asking that?" Shadow asked. "I'm one of the main characters after all…"

Everyone stared at him funny for a moment.

"Uh, never mind…"


	41. Chapter 41: Reunions and Backstory

**Chapter Forty-One**

**Me (on April 1st)**: Note to self…don't do so much skipping…

**Tahra**: Oh Jaaaaaanus!

**Me**: Hey, why are you using my MFZ name? Ah, heck, I'll answer to that. What?

-The good guys gather-

**Me: **?

**Shadow**: I know it's a day late but…

**All**: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANUS! -They all hand over stuff-

**Me**: Aw, you guys are the best. Anyway, I got a birthday present of sorts from ScarletEbon, and she has postedartof Vera and Nazo (at last!)but that's beside the point. It's been forty-one great chapters, and the end does not appear to be in sight for this fic! I still have another plot idea to write out, which may take anywhere from 15 to 20 more.

-- -- -- -- --

"This is the place," the guard said with a hint of pride after leading Sonic and Tails to the site of where the supposed "angel colony" was. As Sonic suspected, there wasn't an angel in sight. The arrival of the two resulted in a crowd of children gathering around them. This crowd didn't just consist of half-kitsune/half-fox mixes. There were a whole amalgam of hybrids, including hedgehog/echidna crosses, hedgehog/kitsune hybrids and almost everything in between. Some of these were unnerving to Sonic at first, and realized why they were hated so much. But still, he couldn't help but feel sorry for them…because of no fault of their own, their own parents and the society they were born into shunned them.

"Hey, take it easy there, kids…" Sonic said a little nervously. They were all looking at him in amazement and clambering to get a closer look. Never in their lives had they beheld a pureblood hedgehog in person. A female half-breed, a mix of hedgehog and echidna, came in and herded the children away.

"Please excuse the children…they haven't ever seen a pureblood in their lives, except for Miss Naylet. You must be Sonic, and the one next to you is Milos, her younger brother…though he seems to be older than I first thought…"

"Long story…" Tails replied excitedly. "Where's Naylet?"

"Maybe she's in that big hut over there…" Sonic said, pointing to the large hut in the center of the area. Tails realized his lack of perception, and was immediately embarrassed. The two made their way to the aforementioned hut.

"Do you think she'll recognize me as I am?" Tails asked. "It's been, well, six thousand years since I've seen her. Maybe she's forgotten I exist."

"Nah…she'll remember you. I think the memory of a sibling doesn't die easily. Besides, we've been told that she foresaw our coming. She's probably on cloud nine right now." Sonic and Tails had made it to the door by this point. Tails took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

A few moments passed before the door was opened by a female three-tailed kitsune, appearing to be roughly in her early twenties. In reality, kitsune take a while to age, so she was at least 600 years old…and she was older still, because of her nature of being an angel. She stood a little over four feet tall, which was normal for kitsune. Her fur was the same color as Tails', but a bit darker. She wore a simple green dress that went down to her ankles. The finery of past millennia was unnecessary for her now. Her eyes lit up for a moment before embracing Tails. It was Naylet all right.

"Little brother…you came, just I had foresaw! Oh, I haven't seen you in ages…literally!"

"I'll leave you two alone to have some quality time," Sonic said before walking away. He decided to go and take a nap by a nearby tree. Of course, when a hero takes a nap, something significant happens in dreams…

-- -- -- -- --

"_Man, I'm getting really annoyed at these 'floating in the void' dreams," Sonic thought out loud. "It always means someone's trying to contact me." But the void soon changed to the inner sanctum of a strange temple. Standing by what appeared to be an altar was a hedgehog. The fellow was about as tall as Sonic. The quills on his were all spiked upwards like Sonic's own Super form, but this one was the color of darkened blood. His shoes were flatfooted and black, save for the socks. The hedgehog noticed Sonic's arrival, and turned to face him. His "white" of his eyes was black like obsidian, and the iris was the same color as his fur: that of darkened blood. His hands were gloveless as well. This guy seemed to scream "evil demon," but the greeting Sonic received was not quite like that…_

"_Greetings, Sonic the Hedgehog;" the hedgehog said. "I am glad we could finally have this meeting." _

"_Just who are you?" Sonic asked. "And how did we get here?"_

_The hedgehog chuckled in a mildly unnerving manner. "You modern people are always so curious. My name is Akuma, guardian of the Sacred Arms, and the greatest warrior to have ever walked the earth, if I do say so myself."_

"_Heh…you don't look so tough…"_

_Akuma was smug in the face of this insult. "Perhaps I need to demonstrate?"_

"_Is that a challenge?"_

"_No…it's a warning that I'm going to inflict so much pain on your dream body that your physical body will be unable to move for days…"_

"_Bring it on, blood boy!"_

_Akuma simply disappeared, and moments later, Sonic was subjected to a veritable blizzard of unarmed strikes, sword swings and even a few energy blasts, all in the span of a few seconds. Akuma reappeared where he was before, with a smug look on his face. Sonic struggled, but managed to get back on his feet._

"_Okay, I get it…you're a great fighter…but I know you didn't come here just to beat me up. What is it you want?"_

_Akuma seemed a tad embarrassed. "Actually, that was the reason, in a way. It is proof that you really are one of the Chosen Heroes. Any lesser being would have been utterly annihilated by that assault. It was a test of your endurance. What I attacked was your very life force."_

"_So…I could have really died from that?"_

"_Indeed…but you did not…anyway, perhaps you want to know about me. I'll be brief. In my day, I was the greatest warrior in the world. I faced hundreds of opponents, and none proved a challenge. Only one being was able to defeat me…your greatest enemy, Nazo. In search of revenge, I forged, with the help of a member of certain races, the four Sacred Arms. I would use them to battle Nazo and his dread master. Then I was put under a curse by Nazo…I could never use them in battle. So I found four worthy souls…"_

"_The first four Chosen Heroes…"_

"_Yes…I trained them as best I could, and then gave them the holy weapons. There were two echidnas, a hedgehog and a kitsune. The hedgehog, as you may know, is your father."_

"_You're…my father's mentor?"_

"…_As shall I become your mentor, when we meet again. Continue fighting as best as you can. Until we meet again…"_

-- -- -- -- -- --

"I should have feared as much, sis…" Tails sighed when he heard what the Kitsune Lord was really up to. It turned out that the Kitsune Lord was on an insane quest to purge his race of impurities. Unfortunately, he had convinced himself that all two-tailed kitsune were not pure kitsune, and only three-tailed members of his kind were "pure". What was more, he believed that all half-breeds had sworn loyalty to the Judgment, and needed to be eliminated. This latter belief had no real basis.

"I'm still stunned that anyone could do such a thing," Naylet said.

"Have you told anyone, besides me and the residents of your little commune?" Tails asked.

"No…if I did, they wouldn't believe me. We have to get proof from the Kitsune Lord himself, and that's almost impossible."

"If only there was a way…"

Their conversation was interrupted when Sonic burst in with a look on his face that suggested good news.

"You guys wouldn't BELIEVE who just showed up! I was taking this nap, you see…"

"Get on with it, Sonic!" Tails moaned.

"Just come out and see them!"

Sonic led the two out of the hut. There were four familiar individuals waiting around, and Tails' heart soared when he saw one of them.

"CREAM!" he exclaimed joyfully.

"Hey, Tails…surprised to see me?"

"Yeah…" Tails replied before recognizing another individual. Naylet was the first to greet this one, though.

"Armeil...I've longed to see you again." Cream, Sonic, Vector and Charmy all recoiled in surprise at this comment.

"But Naylet, isn't he…" Tails began.

"Not anymore, I am not," Armeil replied. "Thanks to Cream, I was freed from my own dark side." Tails glanced at Cream, who winked at him.

"You never told us that you had a girlfriend, Armeil!" Charmy quipped, "let alone another of a different species!"

"Perhaps I can explain everything over a meal," the echidna replied.

-- -- -- -- --

Night had fallen, and the group was now seated on a mat around a low, circular table with the remains of a modest, but tasty and filling meal on the table. They had discussed the situation with the Kitsune Lord among other things. With every one having had their fill, Armeil finally began to explain the reason for the existence of the Judgment.

"In those days long ago, Naylet, Milos and I lived as mortals. I was a young but powerful warrior, recently given a title and a share of land. I met Naylet one evening at a party. We became friendly and soon grew affectionate. But our love was against so-called sacred law, and she and I, along with her brother, were banished from our respective societies, forced to wander the world. But we soon met Eberon, Devlin, and Nack, a weasel. As we traveled together trying to right great wrongs, we were noticed, and approached by a mysterious red hedgehog named Akuma…

"Hey…that's the guy who I met in my dreams…" Sonic interrupted. "Did he happen to have black and red eyes, along with quills like so?" Sonic pulled up his quills as best he could to mimic Akuma's hair style. Armeil and Naylet nodded.

"Yes," Naylet continued. "He offered us a quest to stop a great evil that was threatening to tear the world apart. It turned out that Devlin, Eberon, Armeil and I were destined to wield the Sacred Arms, which were forged by Akuma himself. He trained us, and soon we felt strong enough to challenge the evil he had mentioned…"

"The Meteor Parasite…" Vector said. "So, what made that whole operation go to pieces?"

"There were rumors of jealousy between Eberon and Armeil over Naylet, and I got possessive of my sister," Tails answered. "Apparently the creep took advantage of that. He offered us the security that Naylet would be with us forever if we served him. We fell for that trap hook, line and sinker."

"I was also promised the complete eradication of all that I deemed sinful, as an addendum to that," Armeil noted.

"How did the others become Seraphim?" Sonic asked.

"When Armeil and I gave the others a good thrashing," Tails continued. "A spark of reason left in Armeil allowed them to live if they served Geddon. They regretfully agreed. We formed the body of the Judgment from the bodies of those who had died in meaningless racial wars. Of course, their souls had long passed on, but their material bodies still had memories of the reasons they died, and all vowed revenge."

"We began infiltrating organizations across the planet," Armeil said with a heavy heart, "extending the will of ourselves, and thus the Meteor Parasite, into the world's agenda. I became obsessed with the destruction of those whom I deemed sinful, and my own hatred formed into the human-like angel who possessed Sonic."

"Eberon told us the rest, Armeil…" Sonic finally said. "But why did you join up with our side, all of a sudden? Did you see the truth or something to that end?"

"I could not have put it better myself, son of Devlin…" Armeil chuckled. "But I have seen the results of my actions. It may not look like it now, but the planet is dying…"

"Dying?" Vector exclaimed. "What do you mean?"

"Geddon, as we speak, is draining the cosmic energy out of the planet itself, and has been doing so for eons now. Thankfully, he has had difficulty consuming it in its current state. But if the planet is destroyed, the energy will be floating freely, and he can eat his fill that way."

"Does he have an ultimate goal?" Tails asked. "He never mentioned a real goal."

"I have heard him whisper that he will return the universe to perfect order…what that entails can only be bad, but I have no knowledge other than that."

"Wait…" Tails said. "I think I know what he means, but it requires physics to explain."

"Is this going to take long?" Sonic groaned. "I hate that kind of stuff!"

"Not really, Sonic. You see, everything that moves has energy. When it applies force over a distance, it transfers some of its energy to that object. This chaotic process is constantly going on around us as we speak. But eventually all movement, and thus transfer of energy, will cease on its own. This is known as the heat-death of the universe. Some human scientists predicted that this would happen in the very distant future, but Geddon must intend to hasten this process. Without the constant transfer of energy, nothing can exist. Perfect order, in the eyes of the Meteor Parasite, is the end of all creation."

"I don't know WHAT you just said," Charmy fumed, "but I don't like the sound of it one bit!"

"Amen, Charmy," Sonic said. "Amen. But first, we need to figure out how to get the Kitsune Lord from achieving his fiendish goal of so-called racial cleansing…"

-- -- -- -- --

**Me**: Just a few notes, people. I do not own Akuma the Hedgehog, but I had asked his owner, whose real name is unknown to me (or to most people), to allow the use of his character. Akuma (the author, not the hedgie)is a well-known figure in the world of sprite editting, renowned for his skills in turning ripped sprites into virtual works of art. Check out his comics on mgcomicsdotcomslashAkumaTH.

**Sonic: **Janus...

**Me**: What?

**Sonic**: Could I get an ice pack? I'm really sore!

**Me**: -rolls eyes-


	42. Chapter 42: Secrets

**Chapter Forty-Two**

**Me**: Geez, I haven't updated in a while.

**Sonic**: Yeah, quit slacking, slacker! (pokes)

**Me**: Sorry. I've been dabbling in sprite comics lately. Anyway, ScarletEbon has been up to her old tricks again, making arts of Eberon, Naylet, and Akuma!

**Tahra**: That Akuma guy is so kickass!

**Nazo**: Yes, but he lost to _me_!

**Me**: No one cares about you, Naz-trils.

-- -- -- -- --

"So, when can I meet the boss?" Regal asked Vera, who was fiddling around with his quills as she always did. The bat had been keeping him waiting for a while now in a chamber in the Great Palace of Hasyn, and Regal's patience was wearing thin. "There's even red tape in this party town!"

"Don't worry, handsome," Vera replied. I'm sure the guys down in management are doing their best to get you with the head honcho. I made sure of that."

"How did you do that? You know someone high in the ranks or something?"

Vera smirked. "I have a very close connection to the head honcho's number one servant. The one who spoke to you in my crystal is the big boss…you're going to meet the number two in this organization, who runs things. Only _he _has direct contact with numero uno."

At that moment, the door to the chamber opened. A pudgy impish demon was standing there. He said something in a strange language that was a mix of gibberish, grunts and Bronx cheers. Regal was puzzled by this, but Vera understood the imp completely.

"He says to follow him," the bat told Regal before standing up and following the imp, and Regal followed as well. Regal couldn't help but look at all the strange artwork, which featured all sorts of hellish scenes too horrible for description. The imp stopped at a large pair of stone doors. In the center of the door was a carving of a pile of dead individuals, and a hedgehog with sharp, pointy shoulders wearing spiky bracelets and boots on top of the pile.

The imp bade Vera and Regal to enter. They did so, but Regal was now starting to get nervous. The hedgehog on the door seemed familiar. The room was made of the same stone as the door, and it was pretty dim, save the glowing figure sitting on the throne in the center of the room…Nazo…the demon who had beaten the legendary Akuma. What Regal didn't expect was the next thing Vera said….

"Greetings, father," she said as she got down on one knee. Nazo rose from his throne and approached the two. He stopped by Vera, who rose and pecked him on the cheek respectfully.

"This guy's your _dad, _Vera? But you're…he's…what the hell is going on!"

"Some things are best left unexplained, Regal," Vera replied. "Introduce yourself…"

"No need, Vera…you've been giving me sufficient information on him."

Regal was now confused beyond belief. "Vera…what the hell is this all about? You're the daughter of a big-time demon, and then this city…"

Nazo chuckled. "She's not only my daughter, but one of my best spies! And you've been just the fellow I've been looking for."

"You better start talking, Naz-trils!" Regal chuckled in his mind at the creativity of his insult. Nazo huffed at this quip, while Vera quietly chuckled.

"Very well, then…let's begin…" Nazo replied.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Man, I can't stand that guy!" Knuckles roared as he heard the recording of the latest of the Kitsune Lord's many board meetings on ethnic cleansing. He and Eberon had bribed a security guard who was to stand guard during the meeting to carry a small tape recorder in his pocket while it was going on. "He really _is _planning genocide! He's the real threat to the kitsune race. He _has _to be stopped."

"We should let Sonic do that," Tahra replied. "When the time comes, we'll expose the madman for who he really is. Until then, we can't let anyone else get this information." Eberon and Knuckles nodded in agreement. Tahra handed the tape to Eberon, who slipped it into his fur. But something _else _slipped out: a small locket. Knuckles noticed it and picked it up. Eberon noticed this, and suddenly got a nervous look on his face.

Knuckles opened up the locket and stared at the picture inside: it was Eberon and a female echidna, the latter standing behind a small echidna girl who looked eerily familiar.

"A picture of your family, huh?" Knuckles said. "You had a wonderful wife…cute kid too. Has she ever met you, you being a Seraph and all?"

"Yes. I lived with them for a time…but then I had to serve my sentence. I haven't seen my daughter in ten years. From what I've heard, she is going to the Academy."

Knuckles finally realized who the girl in the picture was. He dropped the locket in his astonishment.

"You're…Vahtri's father, aren't you?" he said in a half-gasp. "She's half-angel, like Sonic…and she doesn't know it."

"I knew that it wasn't a spice that healed me…" Tahra added with a snap of her fingers, "…it was some sort of weird healing power! Why haven't you told her! She's twenty now, and deserves to know!"

"I know I should tell her…but then she would hate me…and she would hate herself. I had heard that her mother, who was my wife, was taken by the Judgment when they raided the Emerald Citadel. I watched that raid from a distance, too afraid to intervene. How could she reconcile the fact that she was the kin of a murderous being?"

Knuckles was tired of Eberon's lamenting, and started to talk him out of it. "Eberon…you're not like them, remember? You loved your wife and daughter, and they loved you back. That's proof enough that you're better than those other guys. I'm sure we can help you out…right, Tahra?"

"Whatever floats your boat, Knux," Tahra replied with a shrug. "But first we have to take care of this little mess here in Quadtalia. The fate of an entire race is on the line."

-- -- -- -- -- --

"_Greetings, Tahra…" the voice of Akuma came from the darkness. Tahra, unlike Sonic, was quite familiar with this fellow. She had first seen images of him in her mind when she was very young, which served as almost something of a spiritual guide. _

"_Oh…hey Akuma…what's up?" Tahra asked. Akuma had a serious look on his face, which meant that he had something of particular importance to say…something that was for her ears only._

"_Ah, so this is the little girl I watched grow up…"_

"_You sound like my grandma, Akuma…why all the sappy talk of a sudden?"_

_Akuma bowed his head and thought for a moment. He usually talked with his fists, feet, and/or swords, so he wasn't always the best with words. Eventually, Akuma had gathered his thoughts and began to explain._

"_Well, it's just that…you resemble someone I once knew very well…one of the few individuals who came close to defeating me, someone who I soon learned to love."_

"_Wait a second…am I your descendant or something?" Tahra exclaimed. Akuma looked at her as if she was out of her mind, and then laughed heartily. _

"_You think it's that simple…no, you are not my descendant…but it was awfully close. You see, in my day, the only real love I had was that of combat. I lived, I ate, I slept and I dreamed the battlefield. The only way to have earned _my _respect was to provide me with a challenge. Your own ancestor did just that."_

_This information was quite new to Tahra, but she got the idea. She had never known Akuma to actually _love _anyone. She had seen Akuma as more of a harsh, but well-meaning mentor. And of course, Akuma launched into his explanation. It was a story of how he, during his youth, met a female warrior who was on a similar quest as he: to become the best warrior ever. The two fought one another, and found themselves to be nearly equal in skill. Akuma won in the end, but just barely. The two soon fell in love. But as time passed, Akuma's love for battle became a damper on their relationship. Akuma's love soon found another, but the day before the marriage, the young woman asked Akuma for a promise…_

"_She handed me an axe…the very one she used against me when we first met. She wanted me to bless it and give it to her child when he or she was old enough. I was cursed by Nazo, and never got the chance…at least until now."_

"_What could I do with this axe?" Tahra asked. "I don't see how it could be useful…"_

"_That is where you are wrong, Tahra…you see, the axe shall become Splendra's replacement."_

_Tahra seemed happy. "…Sweet! I thought maces were wimpy anyway. So, can I see it?"_

"_When the time comes, Tahra…until then…"_

-- -- -- -- --

Doctor Eggman tried to wipe the sweat from his forehead, but couldn't…he had lost all of his sweat glands during the process that allowed him to live. But it didn't matter now, for he had completed the first member of newest army of robots…or rather, a massive army of robotic hedgehogs much like Metal Sonic, but this one had a quill style more closely resembling Shadow's. The doctor also had other head designs, but all the robots would be pretty much the same. This version would store Metal Sonic's core program.

At that moment, the young man voice of Geddon made its presence known in the room. The doctor could feel the creature's unnerving presence more strongly now, even though he knew that he was inside of the creature.

"Ah, I see that you have finished. I trust you have found the supply of dark adamant to your liking? There is no stronger metal in the universe."

"Yes…but I'm not sure how I can manufacture an army of these…" the doctor replied with disappointment, "but this meteor has a finite amount of dark adamant, am I not correct?"

"You underestimate my powers, doctor…" the Meteor Parasite replied with a chuckle. The robot was absorbed into the structure of the room, and moments later returned, with three more of the same robot. Of course, the doctor was quite amazed. This creature was defying laws of physics left and right as if it was nothing. If his new boss could make robots, perhaps he could make him battleships! Armadas upon armadas of destructive battleships! The thought of such force made the doctor giddy.

"Do you do battleships, master?" the doctor asked.

"I have an armada ready to go, actually. I was planning for you to lead an invasion on the hedgehog realm…I have forces attacking from the east, and you will attack from the north…here it what you must do…"

-- -- -- -- --

**Tahra**: What? That's it? C'mon! You're 200-400 words off your average!

**Me**: I know this wasn't a very long chapter…but I had (dundunDUN) writer's block! Next chapter will be great, I promise you all!

**Sonic**: It better be.

**Shadow: **Yeah.

**Amy**: Or else.

**Me**: Or else what?

(4 mains assume Super form)

**Me**: Oh snapz! (runs away)


	43. Chapter 43: Rise of Psycho Super Sonic

**Chapter Forty-Three**

**Me: **After a long case of writer's block, I _finally_ got another chapter of AWAE off. I really need to make this chapter good. I have to finish this! (bangs head on laptop)

**Tahra**: That sprite comic stuff you've been doing has really thrown you off…it's like you can't stay on one project before moving on to the next one. Tsk tsk tsk.

**Me: **Okay. To make up for that, I'm going to make this next chapter great! Okay, here we go!

-- -- -- -- --

"You're leaving already?" Naylet exclaimed when she saw Sonic starting out back toward Quadtalia with Tails and the others, minus Armeil, who opted to stay behind. Sonic seemed the most eager to leave, and seemed very angry at something, judging by his demeanor and unusual haste. He was still the last one out of the gate when Naylet approached him.

"Look, I have a mission to complete…and I'll do it at almost any cost."

"That's not it…you were so _angry_ this morning. Milos always told me that you were a relatively carefree and cheerful person. Is this really the same Sonic that he told me about?" Sonic turned and looked at Tails' sister straight in the eyes. He showed the kitsune the symbol on his arm.

"This is the mark of one who has committed a crime. The blood of thousands is on my hands, and I cannot purify my soul until I help others."

"If you plan to kill the Kitsune Lord…it will just be another death you must repent for. He may be evil, but…"

"You said it yourself…he plans to kill off eighty-five percent of his own people just for some crazed belief of his. Those who would deny life to the masses, especially of their own kind…do not deserve to live. This is how _I_ feel."

Naylet sighed. "If that's the case, then I won't stop you. I can only warn you that you shouldn't let your hatred consume you…that was Armeil's greatest mistake."

"I'll keep that in mind," Sonic said off-handedly. He did not seem to heed the words of Tails' sister at all, but went on his way with the same feelings of hatred for his enemy…and it would be one that would take surprising form…

-- -- -- -- --

The group met up with Tahra, Knuckles and Eberon in the hotel room to stage the final part of their plan to stop the Kitsune Lord's crazed plan.

"I'd say the best thing to do at this point is to expose the fiend for who he is, and then let the law take care of him," Vector suggested thoughtfully. "I mean, this city couldn't possibly be a dictatorship, from what I've seen. It's the safest way to do it."

"I'm in agreement with the crocodile here," Cream replied. Charmy was assumed to agree with Vector in this case. Eberon gave a silent nod.

Tails sighed. "As much as I'd like to see this mad kitsune suffer, it's for the best. This regime change is going to be a peaceful one. I'm afraid you're outnumbered, Sonic." The blue hedgehog, of course, was very angry at this. He had been really enraged…at what he didn't know. He thought the source of his rage was apparent: the murderous mission of the Kitsune Lord. The proof was all there…he had heard the recording.

On a strange whim, Sonic decided to take matters into his own hands. He snatched the tape recording from a nearby table, and in a matter of moments, had leapt out of the window. As Tahra rushed over to see what Sonic was going, she saw him skid down the wall of the building, bound off the wall and onto another. He was obviously in a hurry, and Tahra feared the worst.

"Guys…we need to hurry and catch Sonic before he does something drastic…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Sir, we have a problem…" a voice on the intercom in the Kitsune Lord's office suddenly said. The four-tailed fox pressed the button to respond.

"What kind of problem?" he responded.

"There's a blue…" the guard said before he was suddenly cut off. The Kitsune Lord slammed his fist down in rage. He was mere moments away from his big "address", at which point his plan would finally commence. But that accursed hedgehog Sonic _had _to show up. He wasn't going to let some rogue hedgehog ruin his plan. He quickly pressed a black button under his desk to initiate his backup plan, then pulled a high-powered laser pistol from his desk and concealed it in his robe. He was ready for Sonic.

Before he could make another move, Sonic burst into his office at a high speed, skidding to a stop right at the politician's desk with a very indignant look on his face.

"Well, well…it looks like I got here just in time," Sonic said confidently before he heard a siren go off in the building and the ground begin to shake. The Kitsune Lord seemed very pleased.

"You're too late, blue boy. I'm going to have my way whether you like it or not! This whole city is going to fall straight down into the earth in ten minutes. However, all three-tailed kitsune have been teleported safely out of the city…"

"You bastard…you're going to destroy everything…all the hospitals, all the laboratories and all the research done there…just for some crazy vision! That's it…you're so dead!" Sonic lunged at him, but soon found five holes straight through various parts of his body by the dastardly kitsune's concealed pistol. He was bleeding profusely, and dropped to the ground where he stood. He felt the footsteps of his attacker move past and heard him chuckling. The screams of the panicking citizens outside made Sonic even angrier…the combination of the Kitsune Lord's chuckling, the bleeding and the screams that made something inside Sonic snap…

-- -- -- -- --

"What the hell is happening?" Vector exclaimed when the earth began to shake. "Is this an earthquake or something?"

"No…there are no fault lines for hundreds of miles…" Tahra replied. "Something else is making the city shake…it may collapse. If we don't clear out of here, we're all dead meat,"

"I'd be more worried about Sonic than us…" Eberon replied. "Milos and I are Seraphim…we could easily teleport you and the rest of us out of here. If only we could stop whatever's happening here…"

"It's a long shot, but maybe we could do it…" Tails replied. "Shall we go for it, Eberon?"

"Levitate the city?" Tahra exclaimed. "You must be mad!"

"I have a hunch it'll work!" Charmy chimed in confidently.

"Charmy's hunches are usually good to follow," Vector said. "First, get us out of here!" Moments later, the group had been teleported outside the city walls. Indeed, it seemed like the city was going to plummet straight down into the earth at any moment. Tails and Eberon teleported to opposite sides of the city. As if both knew when to start, they closed their eyes and concentrated with all their might. The city stopped shaking, and slowly began to rise out of the great hole. The exertion, even for beings as magically potent as Tails and Eberon, took a great toll on their bodies. Every fiber of their being was set on this single task. Wounds thousands of years old suddenly began to open up; and even their very wings seemed to begin fading. It was as if all of their power was disappearing from them…indeed, that was the case. The city's buildings rose to an elevation of almost five thousand feet high, but there was only about a hundred acres of space for the buildings themselves.

With one last roar of effort, Tails and Eberon moved the buildings a safe distance from the hole, and set it down before both fell unconscious. The wings on their backs faded out of existence as they did. The two had given up most, if not all of their angelic powers to save an entire city from destruction…

-- -- -- -- --

The Kitsune Lord was beside himself. Somehow, by an unexplainable miracle, his backup plan had failed. Now his entire people would turn against him. But it soon turned out that he had more immediate worries when he was suddenly ambushed by Sonic…but he was different. It appeared to be Sonic's Super form, but it wasn't. His eyes were replaced by white orbs with blood-red spirals, and his fur was all ragged, and a constant, fearsome grin was spread across his face. A new form had been obtained…his Dark form, Psycho Super Sonic. The Kitsune Lord backed away, but the twisted Sonic grabbed him and raised him up.

"Your public is waiting, buddy…" Psycho Super Sonic said in a voice that was like his, but with a sinister echo. He grinned before dragging the terrified leader before a crowd of angry kitsune, along with Tahra and the others, who were looking on with shock. Sonic tossed the deposed leader onto a podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, purebloods and halfbreeds," Sonic began. "Your leader has been conspiring to kill you all! His twisted vision of a pure kitsune race would have involved mass killings, and ultimately, genocide. I may look a bad guy to _you_, but trust me…I'd never do something like that! This so-called leader of yours deserves no less than to have his own life taken from him."

The crowd began to cheer wildly, save Sonic's friends (minus Tails and Eberon, they were still outside, unconscious), who were too stupefied to do anything. They had never seen this side of Sonic before. It was as if Sonic's own hatred had finally made itself manifest.

"Putrid inferior beings!" the Kitsune Lord roared. "Can't you see he's trying to trick you? Don't listen to this mad hedgehog! Get him!"

"That's a bad way to command your people, big guy," Sonic taunted before turning back to the crowd. "Did you hear what he called you? Inferior beings! That's what you've been calling so many other people for so long! After today, I want all of you people to go back and think about just what kind of system you've been living in! But now, we get rid of one crazed leader!"

Sonic snatched the gun from the terrified leader's hand and pointed it at his head. The last thing the Kitsune Lord ever heard was this:

"Feel the pain of the inferior beings…as you burn in hell…"

Sonic pulled the trigger on the gun, and the shot went right through the brain of the Kitsune Lord, killing him instantly. The crowd went silent, except for a few murmurs. Psycho Super Sonic did a small salute before taking off to a dark corner of the city. Immediately, Tahra ran after him, with Knuckles, Vector and Charmy in pursuit.

After about an hour of searching the area, Tahra found Sonic stumbling around like a drunkard in one of the alleyways. Sonic fell over exhausted, and awoke a few minutes later, just as the others had reached the area.

"Wh…what happened…" Sonic mumbled. "I remember getting blasted one minute…everything was shaking…and now I'm here, and my head really hurts…"

"Sonic doesn't remember a thing!" Knuckles exclaimed. "I wonder what that crazy form was…" Tahra seemed to know all too well what had happened to Sonic…but now was not the time to divulge that secret. She had other plans.

"Guys…you do realize that Sonic just murdered the leader of an entire race. Evil or not, this is seriously bad. I wonder why his Mark of Penitence didn't stop him."

"Maybe it had to be done," Cream answered. "The Kitsune Lord may have indeed been the true threat. But I'm not down with this supernatural stuff as much as you are, Tahra."

"Let's just get that medallion piece and blow this Popsicle stand," Charmy quipped. He and Vector were now clued in on the nature of the journey. Sonic grinned wearily in agreement, but now he understood what Naylet meant when she said not to let his hatred consume him.

-- -- -- -- --

"Tahra…I don't know what's happening to me," Sonic said fearfully as the two lay next to each other under the stars. "Last night I felt perfectly fine…and now I'm a murderer again. I thought this Mark kept me from doing those kinds of things."

The purple hedgehog sighed "As strange as this may seem to say…it may have been what the powers that be intended. I'm pretty sure now that the Mark made no effort to stop you, even when you got into that…form…it likes your Super form, but psychotic. I guess it wouldn't hurt to call it Psycho Super Sonic. I just hope we don't have to see it again."

"Same here…anyway, isn't it great that we're just a stone's throw away from getting that Mark off of you…and I'll be heading to where my grandmother lives. I can't wait for her to meet you! But before we do…" Tahra got up very close to Sonic and began to nuzzle him affectionately.

"Oh, you wanna get all fluff-like, eh?" Sonic said eagerly. "I'm game!" The two locked lips as they did before and embraced under the stars…watched by another couple. Armeil and Naylet had followed the group and planned to meet up at Sylvania.

"Aw, look at those two," Naylet said with a smile. "They're so wonderful together. I'm glad Sonic is happy again, after what I saw in my last vision. I feared his hate would consume him fully."

"Perhaps there is hope for the world yet, Naylet…" Armeil replied as he smooched his love on the cheek…

-- -- -- -- --

**Me**: Yay! I'm back up to speed again! Next chapter, the group finally meets up and this part of the saga finally comes to a close! But don't think this story is over…the four hedgies still need to train with Akuma…and the others will have something to do while that's happening as well.

**Shadow**: Yes, there will be more fluff between me and Amy, folks, don't worry! I know that's what you fangirls want right now!

**Me**: There will also be the first confrontation between our heroes and the hyenas within the next two chapters! Stay tuned!

**Krynku**: (cackles)


	44. Chapter 44: Sylvania and The Sacred Arms

**Chapter Forty-Four**

**Me**: Okay, we've spent exactly thirty chapters detailing the so-called journey of redemption for our heroes. Now a new task is at hand, but the other characters will have their turn in the sun for the time being, because, as I mentioned before, the four main characters will be stuck in a Hyperbolic Time Chamber-esque demiplane with Akuma.

**Sonic**: You sure like to steal stuff, don't you, Janus?

**Me**: I do not! Anyway, we have a lot to get to, so I may not have space for ShadAmy fluff.

**ShadAmy Fans**: Hey!

**Me**: Oh fine…since this is the end of a part of the saga, I can do a chapter of 4000+ words, so we can get a dose or two of ShadAmy fluff in too. Be prepared for a _verylong_ read, though.

**ShadAmy Fans**: Yayness!

-- -- -- -- --

"What's the big idea with ditching us, Knux?" Sonic asked when he learned that Knuckles and Eberon were going back to the Academy. He knew that Mikael had to be picked up, but there seemed to be another reason.

"We need to visit someone at the Academy," Eberon replied. "We'll meet you at Sylvania as soon as possible. Fear not."

"Okay then, you two…I'll be seeing ya," Sonic replied before speeding off with Tahra and the others, leaving Knuckles and Eberon at the crossroads. Now with two less echidnas in tow, the group could pick up the pace.

"I wonder if that echidna girl Knuckles likes so much is involved" Sonic asked Tahra. She knew, of course, but didn't feel like telling him. She simply shrugged without answering. She was excited to reach Sylvania to no end. She hadn't seen her grandma in years. Most people her age would loathe going to grandma's house, but they didn't have the coolest grandma ever (at least in Tahra's opinion). Even so, there were times when Tahra wished she wasn't related to the old woman. She always pinched her cheeks whenever her parents dropped her off and such…the usual embarrassing stuff.

But her grandma wasn't the only reason she was excited to return to Sylvania…she had many friends there that she hadn't seen in years. There was a whole bunch of people who she couldn't remember, but one did stick out in her mind: Haishin. They were friends for a while…but the pressure for them to hook up only forced them apart. Haishin, of course, was not just some average hedgehog…he was the emperor's son…the heir to the throne. The most popular kid in school, the valedictorian, the captain of every team…anything Haishin desired, he got. He wasn't power-hungry, like those who wished to be by his side. In fact, he didn't like being the emperor's son. He just wanted to be normal, and not on top of the heap. She wondered what her old friend would be like…

Tahra was so lost in thought that when she fully regained awareness of her surroundings, several hours had passed, and it looked like Tails was calling to someone on a lower part of the ridge they were on. The voice that responded was one of a friend…

"Tails, what's with the ruckus?" Sonic asked before noticing exactly what was going on. He looked down and saw Shadow and Amy, with their own little group.

"Well splatter me with chili and put me on a bun," he then said in a jocular redneck accent, "if it isn't the two lovers…and it looks like you've been getting a bunch of new pals! Mind if we join up?"

"You know what they say, the more the merrier!" Amy called back up. Sonic waved the others over, and all of them skidded down the cliff. There were many exchanges of greetings, a hug here and there, and much excited chatter on the part of Charmy.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Hey, Sonic…" Rouge said as the two got themselves ready to go to bed. "Where's Knuckles? I noticed he wasn't with you." Sonic stopped and tried to think of the best way to answer. He wasn't about to just tell Rouge that Knuckles had found a new girlfriend…but he didn't want to lie to her either. Rouge was still a friend of his, and he hated lying to his friends. But he had no choice here.

"He said he needed to be alone," he replied. Rouge saw right through his lie, being as perceptive as she was. She was both angry at the blue hedgehog for lying to her so blatantly, and distraught to what the truth might be. But she decided to play along and wait for him to blurt out the truth.

"…And where did he go?" she asked. Sonic started getting nervous. He had a feeling Rouge was on to him, but he continued to keep up his defenses.

"He went up to the mountain about twenty miles from here. He's going to see a friend…" Sonic then realized he had just contradicted himself, and there was no way he could get himself out of this now…he had to fess up.

Rouge, meanwhile, realized that the dream she had at the dojo was all too real. The mystery bride was definitely the one that Knuckles was visiting. Could this mean that it was only a matter of time? That horrible dream surged back to her conscious, and she stumbled away in horrified frustration. Was she really doomed to this horrible fate that kept playing in her mind…to watch someone who she showed love for turn his back to her while a beast of terrible evil tear away at her dignity as if it were nothing? She didn't want to believe it…

Sonic was disconcerted by this sudden change in Rouge's emotional state. Normally she was cool-headed and even aloof…now she was an emotional wreck. He wondered what he had said. He felt like consoling her, but found the weasel, Nack, approaching her. He listened in on the conversation the two were having.

"You had that vision again, didn't ya, Rouge-y…" he said in a tone one would not expect from a weasel. He seemed to truly be concerned about Rouge's welfare, and surprisingly, Sonic saw the two embrace, and Nack was trying to calm her down.

"Listen…you're not what you think you are…you're a great gal…and I won't let that happen to you…okay?" Rouge nodded. Sonic found this comforting. The weasel had not given a good impression at first, but it looked like all was well with him.

-- -- -- -- --

Knuckles and Eberon arrived at the Emerald Citadel when night fell. After going through the gate, both caught the scent of Vahtri's cookies. Eberon sniffed much more eagerly than Knuckles, for it brought back wonderful memories for him. Never in so long had he had those wonderful baked confections, but he mostly wanted to see his beloved daughter again.

The scent led both echidnas straight to Vahtri's dorm, which she seemed to be leaving, as she was bringing boxes out. Knuckles pulled Eberon back around behind a nearby building.

"Don't just waltz out there with me…" Knuckles said, slightly annoyed. "I wanna make this a surprise…for dramatic effect." Eberon huffed at this. He couldn't even see his own daughter without her boyfriend trying to put a show. It was both annoying…and endearing at the same time. Knuckles took a deep breath and went up to Vahtri, who noticed him and greeted him enthusiastically with a big hug.

"Knux! You came back! You don't know how happy this makes me!"

"If this made your day, then prepare to get even happier." Knuckles managed to pull himself out of his friend's grip and brought her over to where Eberon was. Vahtri didn't recognize her father at first, but the grey echidna's voice soon made her remember.

"You've grown so much, my little one."

"Daddy…y-you're back…"

"Ten long years…where has the time gone? I missed seeing you grow up." Mikael, meanwhile, had wandered outside to see this little event go on. He saw Vahtri and Eberon embrace, and he recognized the latter.

"Hey mister Vahtri's dad!" he yelled as he came over.

"Heh…it looks like you've been babysitting in the long term, eh, Vahtri?" Eberon said heartily. "Anyway, Knuckles and I were heading to Sylvania…"

"Sylvania? I've always wanted to go there! Count me in!" Vahtri cheered. "You're coming with me, right Mikael?"

"My grandma lives there! Didn't I tell you?" the little tyke replied. "She's reeeally important!"

"Oh, and what does your grandmother do?" Eberon asked.

"She's…uh…I'm not sure what she does, actually," Mikael answered, "but I know it's really important!"

"His grandmother is the high priestess of the Emerald Light," Knuckles said. "Tahra didn't tell you about that? Must be pretty exciting to have a friend who has a friend who…"

"We get the idea, Knuckles…" Vahtri groaned. "I guess I can't take all this stuff with me. How about you two spend the night here before we head out?"

-- -- -- -- -- --

Morning came as always. Not even the greatest forces of evil could stop the dawn, and Shadow was the second to awaken. He found Amy sitting back and watching the sunrise, with an oddly concerned expression on her face. Something was bothering her.

"Something wrong, Ames?" Shadow asked as he sat down next to her. Amy leaned on Shadow's shoulder instinctively. For all the time they had spent as a couple, both continued to relish this kind of contact, this kind of quiet time. The sensation of feeling Shadow's form seemed to comfort Amy, but her distress was still present.

"It's Sonic…he's really starting to worry me. He is our friend, after all."

"What about him? He seems like the same Sonic as always."

Amy shook her head. "No…he seems so different. I've never seen so much…hate in his eyes. I also overheard him mutter something about revenge on someone…he just called 'those bastards'."

Shadow chuckled. "Don't worry yourself. He was probably asleep when he said that."

"You were asleep…_he_ was awake. I heard it all. Sonic was fuming over prejudice, hatred and racism…subjects I never knew he even bothered with."

"You know Sonic…he _always _fights for the greater good," Shadow replied with a rolling of his eyes. Amy was now getting annoyed. Was Shadow _this _dense? She restrained herself from slapping him, but now her tone was getting annoyed and she stood up.

"Shadow…can't you see that hatred is consuming Sonic whole! Well, maybe you don't, but _I _notice it all too well."

"Well, I suppose that's a cause for concern…should we tell Tahra about it?"

"I'm sure she would know," Amy replied. Her tone turned more like her happy self and she sat back down next to Shadow. "I've also been seeing how close they've gotten. It's like watching…" she then gave him a kiss on the cheek at this point, "…us!" Shadow smiled. There was silence afterward, as the two watched the sunrise together.

-- -- -- -- --

"Hey Espio…what's with the weird headband?" Charmy asked Espio when he noticed him wearing a weird headband, which was adorned with a metallic plate with the symbol of a sun with very pointy rays. "Where did you get it?"

"This is a special ninja headband," Espio said with a rare expression of pride. "I was to be awarded it when I graduated from my ninja training, but I left before I got the chance to receive it. It's the mark of a true ninja."

"Looks more like the mark of a true doofus to me!" Charmy jeered before receiving a smack on the back of the head by Vector, who was also looking at the headband.

"It looks good on ya, Espio!" Vector said with approval, although he too thought that the headband looks ridiculous on his chameleon friend. Vector, of course, was more tactful than the immature Charmy.

"It also helps me focus, and thus enhances my ninja abilities. For example…watch as I steal Nack's hat from right off his head without him noticing…" Espio used his Leaf Swirl to turn himself invisible and crept over to Nack, who was leaning up against a tree, polishing one of his smaller guns. Espio waited for the right moment before attempting to pluck the weasel's hat off. As he reached for it, Nack aimed the gun right at Espio's forehead, without even looking at him.

"Don't even _think _about it, ninja-boy," the weasel said coldly. Espio was surprised that Nack had noticed him, and wondered how as he turned visible again. Charmy snickered at Espio's embarrassing defeat, and again received a smack on the back of his noggin by Vector.

"What?" Charmy snapped. "It's funny!"

-- -- -- -- --

"There!" Zeipha said excitedly, pointing to a stone spire poking out of the forest below. Raiden and Ribik saw it too, and looked at it wide-eyed.

"Wow…the Great Obelisk of Sylvania!" Ribik exclaimed. The toad didn't speak much, but this awesome sight forced words out of his mouth. The spire was indeed an amazing piece of architecture, standing almost five hundred tall and fifty feet on all sides at its base. Although it could not be seen from this distance, the entire tower was carved with images that recorded most of the major events in the history of the world that concerned all the ancient races: hedgehogs, kitsune, chameleons, foxes and even crocodiles…a history that started fourteen thousand years in the past.

Tahra came over and stared at the spire as well. It was always a welcome sight to see that old tower in the distance. It was a comfort to see this massive structure still standing…it gave her a feeling of stability in her chaotic life.

Sonic whistled in amazement. "Wow…now that's a spire! I've never seen anything _that_ tall outside of Station Square, or Westopolis for that matter!"

"Amazing…" Rouge gasped. Everyone else gawked at it as well. Sonic was the first to follow the path down the mountain. The final part of his journey was almost done…and he would finally see his father again. Not only that, he would finally be among his own kind. He was so eager, that he started to leave his group behind. Tails was the first to notice this, and started off after Sonic.

"Hey, Sonic…could you wait up!" the half-kitsune called to him, but the blue blur was already several miles ahead. Sonic suddenly stopped when he noticed something in the distance: marching across a wasteland that suddenly began many miles from Sylvania, probably ten miles away, was some sort of army. He had no idea of what it consisted of, but one thing was for sure…it was marching toward the great city, and that only meant trouble. Soon, Tahra, Tails, Amy and Shadow caught up with Sonic as they too saw this strange sight. Tahra quickly recognized the nature of the army, though.

"Hyenas…they're on the march. No doubt that a certain General Krynku is behind this."

"Never heard of the guy…" Sonic said frankly. "I doubt any of us have, save you."

"He's a monster, but very charismatic. This actually isn't the first time he's attacked Sylvania…but I've never seen an army this big." Before she could say anything else, Amy noticed something else…the sounds of battleships roaring in the distance.

"We need to hurry…these hyenas may only be one of Sylvania's problems. I think our old friend Doctor Eggman may be in cahoots with our enemies now."

Sonic perked his ears and nodded. "Yeah…I hear them too. Tails, can you head back and tell the others that we're going on ahead, and not to be worried." Tails nodded and started back the way he came, and the four hedgehogs continued down the mountain toward the great city.

-- -- -- -- --

"Well, here we are…the crown jewel of all hedgehog-dom…Sylvania," Tahra said with no disguise of her pride. Indeed, the three others were in sheer awe of this amazing city. It was like Westopolis in that it had great towers, but instead of being made of cold glass and steel, it was made of beautiful tan sandstone, and intricately carved with beautiful designs and awesome portrayals of tales and events.

What gave Sonic, Amy and Shadow the most comfort was the presence of members of their own kind in large numbers. The city was not overcrowded, but you could tell that it was a massive city. There were members of other races, as well, but hedgehogs dominated the racial landscape. Never had they seen so many hedgehogs in one place. Sonic quickly noticed that no one seemed to be paying much attention to them. If Tahra was so important, why did no one notice her? Sonic asked this very question to her.

"I haven't been here in three years. I doubt anyone will recognize me, especially in the outfit I have on. I better bring you to where my grandmother lives…I bet she'll be excited to see us."

"Lead on…you know the city better than any of us," Amy said. Tahra led the three onward, winding through the streets of Sylvania, pointing out important landmarks as they went. Soon enough, Tahra stopped at a simple, but well-made house with a red wooden door. She knocked on it and waited. A few seconds later, the raspy voice of an old lady answered.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" the old resident called. The door opened about twenty seconds later to reveal a hunched-over old female hedgehog. She was hunched forward, and she walked with a gnarled staff. Despite her obvious handicap, her blue eyes sparkled much like Tahra's did, and her sight seemed to be perfectly fine. The hedgehog's fur was a dull indigo.

"And who might you be?" the old woman asked.

"Grandma…it's me, Tahra…you don't recognize me, do you?"

The old woman was suspicious. "You look like her…but that's not enough. There's one thing I'd like to ask. She suddenly changed languages to something called Terra-speak, which Tahra instantly recognized and responded in. The old woman nodded, and then started wagging her finger at Tahra.

"You've been around humans too much…you're dressing like some sort of demon worshipper! Get out of my sight!"

"Grandma…" Tahra said in a surprised tone before her grandmother started laughing.

"You were always gullible, Tahra…I'll love you no matter how you dress! Come and give your old grandma a hug! I haven't seen you in years!" Tahra rolled her eyes, and did so.

"I've never seen these three before…" the old priestess continued. "Are they your friends?"

"Who else would I bring to meet Ilseah, the High Priestess of the Emerald Light!"

"Come in then…this house is welcome to friends of my grandchild!"

-- -- -- -- --

"So you've retired from your duties, grandma?" Tahra said with surprise. "Why? You seem perfectly capable of continuing them."

Ilseah sighed. "Oh, dearest…I'm just getting too old for it…I'm nearly eighty now. I'm thinking about choosing my successor. But tell me, I didn't quite hear the names of your friends. Could you repeat them for me?"

"Shadow," the ebon hedgehog said.

"Amy Rose, but just Amy is fine."

"Sonic's the name, and don't forget it!"

"Would you believe that Sonic's my boyfriend?" Tahra said happily, hugging Sonic. The old woman seemed delighted to hear this.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you, my violet lovely!" Ilseah said gleefully, using one of her pet names for Tahra. "I never thought you could love another boy after you separated from Haishin!"

"Who's Haishin?" Sonic asked. "I bet he was a real jerk."

"Nah, he was a nice guy…" Tahra replied with an expression of honest nostalgia in her eye. "It was when Regal became his crony that I started not to like him. Regal spoiled everything."

"Speaking of Regal…have you heard from him, Tahra?" Ilseah asked. "He never writes to me at all! I wonder if he even cares about his grandma anymore."

"I doubt he does…" Tahra replied scornfully. "He only cared about himself. I did see him..."

"Oh…you went to the Emerald Citadel? Why so far?" It was at this point that the old priestess realized just who the other three were.

"Oh my…these three are the new wielders of the Sacred Arms! I knew I recognized those medallions!"

"Yeah…I'm the fourth, Grandma. That's the real reason we're here. Sonic here needs to get the final part. If we can get the Sacred Arms, we'll be able to fend off the incoming enemies. The hyenas are on the march from the east."

"We knew that…and Sylvania is prepared…but you four should get them all the same. From my visions, I judge that they'll arrive by the new moon, and will likely attack under cover of darkness."

"So, what do I have to do to get the last medallion piece?" Sonic asked. The old woman simply smiled, got up and left the room. A few minutes later she returned…with the final piece of Sonic's medallion, as well as another whole one. She handed it to him. Before Sonic could say anything, the old woman shook her head.

"The need for service is not needed, Sonic. The service you can best provide requires the use of the Sacred Arms." The priestess handed the second one to Tahra.

"Thank you, Ilseah…" Sonic replied. He attached the final medallion piece and pressed it to his right arm. In a flash, the Mark was gone. "Now, how do we get to the shrine when the Sacred Arms are?" The old woman pointed to the room from whence she came.

"Fit the medallions in the four circular slots. Your medallion goes on top, Shadow's on the left, Amy's on the right, and Tahra's on the bottom slot."

"Thanks, grandma," Tahra said and started toward the room, but the old woman stopped her. She pointed to a section of wall on the left side of the same room.

"The fourth of the Sacred Arms is behind that wall. Take it to the shrine, and its full strength will be realized. Akuma, your guardian spirit, left it by my bedside many years ago. It's yours now." Tahra did so, and gazed on the battle axe. Its handle was roughly eighteen inches long, and the head was at least three-quarters that size. One end of the axe-head was curved down, while the other was normal. It was unassuming now, but Tahra suspected it would look a lot cooler once it obtained its full strength.

After taking the axe, Tahra joined her friends, and placed her medallion in the bottom slot, and before the four knew it, they had changed locations…

-- -- -- -- --

The four hedgehogs appeared in a room that was very familiar to Sonic and Tahra…and standing in front of the altar was a familiar figure. The only difference was the presence of three weapons on the altar: a sword, a katana, and a war hammer.

The sword, Excalibur, was a sword of splendid quality. Its handle and hilt were made of a stunning bronze color, while the straight and keen blade was made of perfectly polished adamant. It had a few emeralds and rubies embedded in the hilt and pommel as well. The katana, Masamune, was also forgedof adamant, but its handle was wrapped in fine black leather, and the silver-plated blade seemed to glint like the stars. The hammer, Mjolnir, was, like the others, made with the same metal as the other two, and was the most intricate of the three arms. Its head was embossed with beautiful designs of incomprehensible nature.

"Welcome, Chosen. Two of you have met me already, but for formality, I'll introduce myself again. I am Akuma, guardian of the Sacred Arms. Three of you have earned the right through your actions, while one was destined by her bloodline. Three of you must face one last test before you may earn your respective weapons. Amy Rose…step forward and face your final trial!

Amy stepped forward nervously and waited. She saw another familiar face fade in…Yakujo's ghost, who was decked in G.U.N. uniform. Amy gasped.

"So, we meet again, sis."

"Yakujo…I have to fight you?"

"Don't worry…I'm already dead, remember? Besides, this is why I'm still around. My spirit is stuck here until you beat me."

"If I must defeat you to let you rest…then I will!" Amy said with determination. She gathered energy and assumed her Super form. Yakujo grinned and gave her a thumbs-up.

"Nice trick, Ames…but here's mine!" The spirit raised his arms, and instantly appeared in what appeared to be a standard issue G.U.N. Bigfoot. But that wasn't it. Mjolnir began to glow, and the ethereal robot grew a pair of arms, and then Mjolnir itself quintupled in size, and appeared in the robot's hand. Amy seemed dismayed by this, but remembered one of Master Khang's lessons involving the fact that the weapon does not make the warrior.

"Alright then, bro…give me all you've got…" Amy charged up further. "I won't hold anything back, you hear me?"

"I'd expect nothing less than my sister…the ultimate life form."

-- -- -- -- --

**Me**: Wow! Over 4,200 words! Hope you people managed to read all of that!

**Sonic**: These next few chapters are gonna be so sweet, eh, Tahra?

**Tahra**: Yeah. It's time to see what you and the others can really do. I have a few tricks of my own, but you'll see them later.

**Amy**: Man, I can't wait to start swinging Mjolnir!

**Me**: Tune in next chapter, as the trials of our heroes begin!


	45. Chapter 45: March of Soulless Shadows

**Chapter Forty-Five**

**Me**: Wow…Chapter 44 was long. I hope it wasn't boring to my readers.

**Amy**: So, a new part of this saga is still ahead of us. When will this whole thing end, Janus?

**Me**: I'll probably stop before it gets to Chapter 70.

**Shadow**: It better have a happy ending, or so help me gods, I'll rip your head off!

**Me**: Temper, temper, Shadow.

**Nack**: Art of me? How nice! (pulls out Law Givers)

**Shadow**: (puppy eyes)

**Nack**: No guns for you, Shads.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Damn it, why did those four ditch us?" Zeipha moaned angrily. "They could have left some way for us to find us."

"I doubt anything of these hedgehogs will speak to _me…_" Nack answered. "We may have to split up and get information. As for me, I've got my own things to attend to here."

This sight did attract some attention; especially that of a hooded figure wandering the crowds. The figure was eyeing Rouge for reasons known only in his own mind. He began to follow the group as inconspicuously as possible, carefully noting their number, composition and apparent strength.

When he felt he had gathered enough data, he slipped into a side alley, and pulled out a crystal pendant from inside his cloak, and removed his hood. This fellow was a sky-blue hedgehog with three very long quills coming out of his head: one on top, and two on the back of his head and two hanging down. He had startling amethyst eyes as well that sparkled like Tahra's. But this was no ordinary cultist peon…it was Haishin, the emperor's son. Unbeknownst to his own people, Haishin had gladly sold himself to the forces of the Meteor Parasite in exchange for the power to get revenge against the girl who had shunned him. He knew she was here. He held the pendant to his ear and began to contact his superiors…

-- -- -- -- --

The battle against the bizarre foe that was Yakujo's ghost was not going well for Amy. The massive machine was flinging her around like a rag doll, and nearly smashed her flat a few times. The others were watching safely behind an energy barrier. The temple had suddenly gotten a lot larger when the battle started, which made the four hedgehogs wonder exactly what was going on.

Amy was assailed by hails of laser fire and missiles, and could barely keep her balance. The robot dashed up to Amy and grabbed her, holding her tight, and beginning to squeeze her hard.

"What's the matter, Ames? Giving up already?" Yakujo mocked. "Don't tell me this is all you can do?" He chuckled, and his voice changed…to a voice Amy recognized…the voice of her father, and it was mocking her. She could make out his image, disdainful of her.

"This is the result of Project Minerva? Ullundara was a failure…you can't even stand up to your brother! What a weakling you are."

Amy was now enraged. The voice of her father, the one who gave her life…she couldn't stand it. Thoughts of rage and revenge poured into her mind…she wanted to reach into that cockpit, grab her father's throat and snap his neck. But she knew it could never happen. As much as she hated him, the thought of killing her own parent was hateful…the thought of her hideous dragon form, corrupted by Ragozine, the source of her suffering, consuming her mother was sickening.

_No…I can't let it happen to me…not like Sonic…there has to be some other way to win…_

Then Amy got an idea…she had been relying on her Super form…she needed to switch tactics. In an attempt to bluff her brother, she pretended to faint. The machine quickly released its grip. Just before she could hit the ground, she switched to her Heroic form and took wing. Sonic was stunned by Amy's unusual form. He would have never guessed she would have a form such as this.

_Impressive_, Akuma thought. _She recognizes that her Heroic and Super forms each have their own strengths and weaknesses._

Amy immediately began shooting fireballs from her mouth, pounding the robot repeatedly. It began to stagger, and it seemed victory was at hand. Amy finally engaged the modified Bigfoot in melee. First she knocked the machine off its feet with a sweep kick, and then commenced to smash holes in its armor as it struggled to stand. In a matter of minutes, she had reduced the machine to bits. The ghost of her soldier brother floated from the machine's wreck, and seemed to be fading.

"Nice job, Ames. The hammer's all yours. As for me, I can finally rest in peace."

"Big brother…don't go"

"Take care of yourself Amy…and Shadow; do keep an eye on her, will you?"

Shadow nodded, and the ghost saluted military style as he faded away. The energy field dispersed, and the great hammer dropped to the floor. At last, Amy picked up the mighty sledge. It immediately gave her a rush of energy that was accompanied by a pleasant tingle. After giving it a few test swings which included a powerful downward swing that shook the entire room. Amy grinned. Mjolnir was nothing like her old Piko-Piko Hammer...with this, she felt unstoppable. Finally, she hefted the hammer onto her shoulder, turned to her companions, and gave a victory sign with her fingers.

"Nice job Amy…" Sonic said. "It looks good!"

"Do not be so confident, Amy Rose. You will not be able to tap into its full power until you have been sufficiently trained. But that is another matter…Shadow the Hedgehog, step forward and face your trial!"

Shadow did so willingly. To his horror, the visage of a young blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl in a sky-blue dress appeared.

"Maria…I…I…I have to fight you!" Shadow gasped. He had contemplated this possibility, but he never thought it would come true.

"Somehow, I saw this coming…" Sonic said under his breath.

"Shadow…please, be strong. You've done so much for the world…and I have been unable to pass on to the spirit world. Like the brother of Amy, you must defeat me in the form I assume…"

"No! There HAS to be another way!" Shadow cried. "Akuma, please! Give me another opponent…even though she is a ghost, I dare not lay a finger on Maria!"

The Maria spirit started wagging her finger in a childish scolding manner. "Shadow…how could you be so immature…you hold on to me like a little baby."

"Everything I've done has been for you, Maria…"

Maria shrugged. "Well, maybe it's time you did something good for your own sake for once."

"For my own sake, huh? I'll do it in your memory, Maria…"

"Thank you, Shadow…now, will you face me?"

He donned the moon-motifed armor of his Heroic form and conjured the Chaos Edge. "I'll hold nothing back, Maria."

Masamune began to glow, and Maria began to shift form. In a flash of light, the form of Maria was changed into something far more intimidating: a six-armed, human-like entity, each arm holding a copy of Masamune. The head and hair remained in the shape of Maria's, but now her blue eyes had shifted to a disturbing shade of yellow that contrasted with the ochre body. The katanas gleaned in the light, and Shadow's test began…

-- -- -- -- --

For reasons unknown to them at first, Krynku's army stopped in the middle of their march. But their general knew all too well what was happening. The barrier that kept the city invisible to hyena eyes was down, but the city had at least ten other layers of defenses as ancient as the hills. He _could_ crack them all with Hexedge without breaking a sweat, but he didn't feel like wasting the effort. He had an inside contact.

"_Is everything ready, Haishin?" _Krynku said to the emperor's son, who was ready to drop all ten shields at once.

"_Everything's good to go. Just remember to tell your men to spare my life. I didn't work for four years with that hag Ilseah to have access to the inner sanctum just to lose it all to one of your own men. And try to keep those shadow creatures in line, too."_

"_What about those four hedgehogs Nazo mentioned?"_

Haishin grinned before answering. _"Akuma may have been the greatest warrior to have ever walked the earth, but he's not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. The fellow was far too eager to test those four."_

"_One question…how the hell do you know all this?"_

"_I have access to the temple's inner sanctum…that way, I can watch their every move in the Sacred Arms shrine via my pendant. It looks like the black and red one is doing battle now, and doing very well. He could be trouble."_

"_Akuma is serving our needs quite well, even though he doesn't know it." _

"_Just drop the shields already, so we can crush this damn city."_

With a single mental command, Haishin dropped all the defenses of the city, leaving it wide open to attack by Krynku's dark army…but his plan did not go unnoticed. Someone burst into the sanctum…it was Nack, wielding his two favorite guns: heavy-looking black handguns with several red and blue buttons. The insignia of the Judgment, a shield with wings behind it, was inscribed onto each gun.

"Well, if it isn't little Haishin…who would have thought you'd sink so low as to betray your own people…especially for revenge."

Haishin was aghast. A weasel, the most inferior of all the races, had penetrated into the inner sanctum of the Emerald Light…for a moment, he forgot the fact that he was going to help bring it all down. Nack seemed to sense this.

"For what you're doing…the Law Givers have declared you guilty." He raised the two guns. "Set to lightning." He started firing off small orbs of lightning at a rapid pace, but Haishin quickly called forth one of the shadow creatures, which took a hit, but regenerated it. The traitorous hedgehog summoned nine more to his aid.

"So these are the souls that ripped out of the angels…except twisted and corrupted. I'll have no qualms against blowing _these _guys to bits…set to holy." The Law Givers, Nack's name for his handguns, beeped, and Nack began firing again, taking out the shadow creatures with greater ease. But still they came, and Haishin kept summoning more. Soon there were at least a hundred in the inner sanctum, and they began to swarm the armed weasel. Seeing that victory was obvious his, Haishin summoned yet another shadow creature, which grabbed onto him and pulled him into the darkness from whence it came.

In a blaze of light, Nack unleashed his full fury on the swarming souls, incinerating them with his favorite guns, and feathers from his wings flying everywhere. In several minutes, the whole group of shadows was either destroyed or retreated out of fear.

"Crap…I better find the others…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Well, Vera…looks like the party's gonna start soon…" Regal said as he looked down on the city he once called home from a high cliff. The army was advancing at a faster rate than before, and it looked like the city was preparing its extra defenses.

"Indeed," said Haishin who had appeared behind the two. "Greetings, Vera."

"Great to be working with you, old buddy," Regal replied cordially, but without looking at him. When he did, the red hedgehog jumped from surprise. He had never seen the shadow creature before. This particular one resembled a massive crocodile, at least twice as big as Vector, and had two dull yellow eyes and seemed to have wisps of black fog oozing out of it.

"Oh, I forgot…this fellow is my personal Dark Soul guardian. I can summon him whenever I please. This little fellow was quite powerful in life, at least before he was beaten by Nazo himself. Oh, and try rubbing that pendant for a little bit. Your special guardian should appear."

Regal looked at his crystal pendant and began rubbing it vigorously, and to his delight, a shadow creature came out. This one was smaller than Haishin's, but still quite large…it was a half-breed, a mix of echidna and armadillo, one who had met his end at the hands of angry echidnas.

"Eww…half-breed," Regal said with revulsion. "But beggars can't be choosers…"

"Those two are weak compared to _mine_," Vera bragged…she rubbed her crystal, and the same black fog began to pour out…

-- -- -- -- --

**Me**: Kingdom Hearts…TWOOOOOO!

**Tahra**: You don't even have a Playstation 2…

**Me**: Who cares! (grabs keyblade and waves it over head) Oh, and I joined Deviantart.

**Sonic**: Oh brother. Someone get the tranquilizer gun…


	46. Chapter 46: A Heroine's Darkness

**Chapter Forty-Six**

**Sonic**: I swear…this ScarletEbon chick is one great artist. Look at that art of our Super forms!

**Tahra**: Why are Amy and I in the same pose?

**Amy**: Yeah, I noticed that…but I do like my new belt buckle!

**Shadow**: I'm still waiting for the pic of me fighting the anti-me.

**Me**: Hold thy horses, peeps! It will be worth the wait…I hope.

-- -- -- -- --

"What the hell is happening?" Knuckles exclaimed angrily when he saw flames rising from the city of Sylvania. "I thought Sylvania was impossible to siege! Damn, talk about horrible timing!" Mikael was beside himself…a place he had come to love, had come to treasure, was under attack by a force he had no capability of stopping. His first instinct was to cling onto someone, and Vahtri proved to be that someone. But the girl herself was driven to tears, for she had many friends in Sylvania that surely perished in this barbaric attack.

"We came too late…" Eberon said with the same feeling of despair and. I can only hope that the others are okay."

"We can't take Mikael into the city!" Vahtri managed to angrily say through her sobs. "You two go ahead…let me stay here. And Knuckles…" She went over to Knuckles and delivered a sudden, passionate and loving kiss, "please be careful…"

Both Knuckles and Eberon were surprised by this sudden act, though Eberon was more so surprised. He had not expected his daughter to care for Knuckles so deeply, but it was comforting for him to know that she had chosen to love such a good-hearted fellow.

"I will, Vahtri," Knuckles said before he and Eberon dashed off to the city as fast their legs could carry them. Now alone with Mikael, she took him and searched for a place to hide from anyone who could do them harm…

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Go, my minions! Burn everything in sight!" Krynku cackled triumphantly. "Destroy, pillage, maim or whatever action of mayhem strikes your whimsy!" Thousands of hyenas, shadow creatures and other residents of the wasteland were pouring into the city, all thinking one thought…to tear Sylvania to pieces and destroy the people who had banished their kinds to the wastes.

Krynku himself had one particular matter to settle…one with a certain old priestess. Using his keen nose, he found his way to Ilseah's home, and burst in, just as the old woman was preparing what she was sure to be her final cup of tea.

"I foresaw your coming, hyena…" the old priestess said coldly when Krynku stepped into her home. She took another sip of tea and waited for the warrior's answer.

"So…aren't you going to take that large sword of yours and stab me or something?" the priestess asked Krynku again. The hyena was angry…how could this old hag just sit there and drink tea? She was supposed to be limping away in fear of her life! He couldn't stand it.

"Aren't you afraid of me!" Krynku roared. "Are you not afraid to meet your doom at my hands! I am going to cut you limb from limb, burn you to ashes and scatter them to the winds! You should be on your knees, begging for me to spare your worthless soul!"

The old hedgehog smiled. "I have lived a long, fulfilling life, and you shall meet your just end in time. I do not fear death, Krynku." The old woman pulled herself off of her modest couch, and closed her eyes. She was ready to meet her end.

Now the hyena general was beside himself in rage. In his thirty-six years of life, he had never seen anyone act so defiantly in the face of imminent death at his hands. Raising Excalibur's sinister twin, he keenly searched for a viable weak spot, and thought of all the ways he could kill this woman. Eventually, he settled on the most painful way possible…a stab through the gut. He delivered this attack with great force and gusto, impaling Ilseah on his blade. She only flinched a little, but not a trace of pain seemed to be noticeable. Weakly, she managed to pull herself off of the blade and stagger backwards.

"Grah! Why are silent, you wretch!" Krynku roared. "I just stabbed you in your worthless gut!" Again, the old woman remained cool and calm. She slowly sat down and put her back to the far wall.

"The only regret I have right now is what will happen when my granddaughter sees my corpse. It will cause many people great pain, starting with you. There is no doubt in my mind that she already knows of your crime."

Krynku had no idea of what the old hedgehog spoke of, and chuckled. "You think I should be afraid, hag. Well, I fear nothing. Let this terror that is your granddaughter come; then we shall see how fearsome she truly is."

"You have no idea…" the old woman said with her last breath. She died, maintaining her dignity to the end. Krynku growled. This kill was a joke…it was an empty victory. He left the house in search of more satisfying kills.

-- -- -- -- --

As the fight between Shadow and Maria continued, Tahra felt a sudden wave of despair cross her mind. Something terrible had happened in the outside world, she just knew it. What was worse, it was someone very close to her…her grandmother.

Sonic noticed Tahra's sudden change of mood and immediately asked what was going on.

"I can feel it…she's gone…but not just her…" Tahra sobbed, while clenching a fist. Shadow seemed to notice Tahra's grief as well, momentarily dropped his guard, but not long enough to get hit.

Even Akuma noticed this, but the ancient warrior felt a disturbing energy growing inside the girl…it was the power that the old woman had been able to restrain for years…he couldn't stop the process now that it had started…but he sensed that it was comparable to what the others had…maybe they could contain it.

"Akuma, let me out!" Tahra cried. "There are people dying in the city!"

"I cannot let you leave here until you all have received the proper training with the Sacred Arms," Akuma said with regret. "I am gravely sorry, but that is how it all works."

Tahra felt her mind slipping in and out of maddening rage. This was a power she had felt once before…a power she couldn't control. She wanted to help, but she felt so helpless.

"Tahra, you have to calm down," Sonic pleaded. "This is no time to go emo…"

"Emo…" Tahra growled…"Emo? I'LL SHOW YOU EMO!" Then it all came roaring out, sending Sonic and Amy flying into the barrier. The fight between Shadow and Maria ground to a halt as they beheld Tahra's sudden explosion of rage.

In a manner much like Psycho Super Sonic, the darker side of Tahra came out. Her fur had darkened to an extremely dark purple, and a single orange stripe was running down her head from the top of her quills. The only other feature was that the whites of her eyes had turned black, and the iris had turned red, much like Akuma's own eyes. A sinister black and purple aura surrounded her.

Amy was the first to try and reason with the enraged Tahra. "Tahra, stop this! We all know this isn't you!" Tahra gave a cold glance to everyone in the room before uttering two words:

"Chaos…Control." With that, she warped out of the room, much to everyone's surprise.

"Isn't this place supposed to be on a different plane or something?" Sonic asked Akuma. "And what the hell did Tahra just do? You know something…spit it, red boy!"

Akuma dispelled the field that separated the three from the fight between Shadow and Maria. Maria's spirit separated from Masamune, and Shadow wondered what was going on, and why Tahra was able to use Chaos Control. But that matter soon became less of a concern when Maria suddenly began fading away.

"Maria…does this mean I am victorious?" Shadow asked.

"Yes, because a more important matter has come up," Maria replied. "Your friend is in great emotional pain…just like you were when I died…"

"What was your first guess?" Shadow said casually, as if they were just talking, even though he was trying to hold back tears.

"Well…I'm sorry, Shadow…I have to leave now. Don't forget me…but please, don't cling onto me." She blew Shadow one last kiss before fading away forever. Shadow picked up Masamune, grabbed its sheath from the altar and listened in on the conversation Akuma was having with Sonic and Amy.

"At a young age, Tahra was affected by a mysterious ailment that, while granting her great power, destabilizes her personality, turning her into a ruthless killing machine. She'll go after her enemies first, but she won't stop there. This is the second time that this has happened in her life…the last time it happened she nearly killed her own parents with a knife. Her grandmother was able to place a powerful ward against this ailment, but now that she is dead, the ward has fallen. Thankfully, I feel that you will be able to stop her.

"I'll go," Sonic said. "She's the one I care about, and I should be the one to stop her."

Akuma shook his head. "I'm afraid that you cannot, Sonic. Your test still remains. I suggest that Amy go. Leave Mjolnir in here."

"Okay, Akuma…get me out of here."

Akuma snapped his fingers, and Amy was teleported back to the surface. Now the red hedgehog set his eyes on Sonic.

"Sonic the Hedgehog…it is time for your trial now. You may show yourself, Devlin." A white hedgehog angel with yellow eyes came out of the shadows.

"It has been a while, my son," Devlin said.

"Dad…I guess I have to fight you…"

-- -- -- -- --

"Let me go, you shadow freaks!" Ribik cried as he was being dragged away by two of the soulless shadow creatures. He had somehow gotten separated from the group, and now his fate was sealed. The black monsters brought him before Vera, who had slipped into the city to watch the chaos unfold.

"Ah, a prisoner…you know, my guardian has been getting hungry lately…and this will make a fine meal for it." With those words, the shadow creature in question appeared from behind one of the buildings. It was a creature of massive size…but it was no ordinary shadow creature…it was the soul of the Biolizard, the creature who had tried to smash the ARK into Earth several years ago. It bellowed loudly.

"Eat up, big boy!" Vera said. The Biolizard-shadow lumbered over to Ribik, grabbed him in its mouth, and engulfed the poor toad whole. It roared in satisfaction.

"Good boy," the bat said, stroking her massive guardian on the side as if it was a pet.

-- -- -- -- --

"Damn…we had to show up _just _as the big invasion starts!" Tails complained as he dispatched another shadow creature with his personal arm cannon.

"I don't think we can hold them off forever!" Raiden said with despair in his voice as he kicked away two hyenas. "I think this is where it all ends…"

"No!" Zeipha cried as he smashed a shadow creature with a heavy stick she found to use as a weapon. "It can't end this way! Sven, Rouge, tell us there's hope!"

"Not likely, Zeipha…" the mole replied as he delivered a spinning strike with his mighty hammer, sending five shadow creatures and three hyenas soaring away, "But we can still give 'em our all! Let's take as many down as we can with us!"

Rouge didn't answer, but took wing and tried to find a safe place to take a breather, and found one in a high position. From her lofty post she could see someone with a dark aura plowing through the tide of shadows, screaming at the top of her lungs curses and words of hatred aimed at the foul beings.

_What in the world…what's that goth girl Tahra doing?_ Rouge wondered._ And what is that awful power she's exuding? Well, I hope she's on our side…_

Tahra came roaring into the melee with her friends, scattering twenty shadow creatures and hyenas, killing most of them. One that did survive, she immediately grabbed and began to shake.

"WHERE'S KRYNKU, HYENA!" she roared in the weakened soldier's face.

"I…I…don't know, heh," the hyena half-stuttered and half-laughed.

"LIAR!" Tahra screamed before smashing the poor hyena's skull on the side of the building. She gave a cold glance at her friends before continuing on.

"What in the world…" Sven exclaimed.

"That's Tahra," Tails said…"But I feel this evil power coming from her…we have to stop her before she starts attacking innocents."

-- -- -- -- --

**Me**: I hope no one will miss Ribik. He never got much action, anyway. Anyway, what do you all think of Tahra's Dark form? I might name it something different, but that's what it will be for now.

**Amy**: She scares me, so I guess you have ascary mind, Janus. Are you sure this fiction shouldn't be rated M? I mean, you really went far on the violence…

**Me**: You'd be surprised how desensitized many people are to violence. Anyway, next chapter will have the battle between Sonic and Devlin, and perhaps the real beginning of the next part. And keep your eyes open for a Shadow vs. Eclipse art by ScarletEbon!

**Shadow**: You mentioned that already.

**Me**: Oh. Never mind.


	47. Chapter 47: A New Saga Begins

**Chapter Forty-Seven**

**Me**: (jaw hanging open)

**Sonic**: How long has been like that?

**Amy**: Since this morning, when ScarletEbon put up the art of Shadow vs. Eclipse on her Deviant Art account. I must say, I'm impressed. The Dark Tahra art scares me though. (shudders)

**Knuckles**: I wonder what she'll do next! (looks at me, puts my jaw back in place)

**Me**: Thanks Knux. Anyway, it's time to get Tahra back into line, and the big fight between father and son…and what of Knuckles and Eberon?

**Shadow**: Just get to the story already, damn it. (draws Masamune)

-- -- -- -- --

Another flash of light shone through the arena as father and son clashed. Both were in their angelic forms, and fighting with all their might to defeat the other. But Devlin seemed to have the advantage: he had his old blade, Excalibur in his possession and was using it skillfully. Sonic had only his hands and feet to fight with.

"Come now, my son…is the hero who saved the world times uncountable?" Devlin taunted. "You surely can fight harder than you are now!"

"Oh, you want me to fight you all out, eh? I _was _holding back, I guess…" Sonic replied. "All right, then here I come!" Sonic rushed forward at a blinding speed, knocking his father backwards, and making him drop the sword, which Sonic snatched in midair. Now he would have the advantage…or so he thought. Excalibur warped right out of Sonic's grip and back into Devlin's possession.

_Great, back to square one, _Sonic thought. He readied himself for his angel father's next attack, which came in the form of white bolts of lightning from his fingers. Sonic dodged these with great difficulty, and eventually one managed to hit him on one of his wings, sending him reeling into the wall. This attack seemed to take the last bit of fight out of Sonic. He reverted to his normal form and dropped to the ground, landing on his back.

"What a disappointment," Devlin sighed. "I had hoped your journey would have made you more capable than this. But maybe I was wrong." The angel started to walk away as he said this last comment. "You can always try again when you have rested."

Of course, Sonic didn't want to give up now. Not by a long shot. With a great deal of effort, he got back onto his feet, and entered a fighting stance once more. He was bruised in several places, and seemed to be bleeding from his mouth, but the bright glint of determination never left his emerald eyes.

"Sonic, stop this nonsense…I refuse to fight you any longer," his father said.

_The blue hedgehog's battle spirit is formidable, _Akuma thought. _I think he just got his second wind…and I sense something within him growing…could it be?_

"No way, pops…I'm (pant) not done yet." Sonic began to dig deep within himself, to find a new reserve of power yet untapped. He knew it was there. His body seemed to be struggling, though…it seems that scars long closed were beginning to reopen, and blood started to stream out of his body. The weirdest part was the way it flowed…it was decorating his body with strange, incomprehensible runes. As time passed, the wounds closed, and the blood turned into silver-color. Sonic regained his angel form, but didn't seem to stop there.

The transformation concluded by Sonic's hair flaring up like his Super form, accompanied by a rush of air and energy. The barrier that Akuma had created shattered, tinkling like broken glass on the floor. Devlin grinned widely. At last, his son had ascended to a power beyond his own.

Sonic immediately went all-out on Devlin, seemingly without mercy, just as his father intended. Time seemed to slow down for Sonic as he delivered a blizzard of blows, pounding the daylights the hedgehog who gave him life before finishing the combo with a wild backflip kick, knocking Excalibur out of the angel's hand, grabbing it and holding it to his throat.

"Go ahead. Kill me," Devlin said with despair. "I've lived for far too long. My eternal life has been nothing but damnation." Sonic shook his head in disappointment.

"I refuse to kill the being who gave me life…" Sonic replied, his hard expression softening now. "Mom wouldn't want that, would she? She'd want you to live."

"Meiya…" Devlin muttered.

"That was Mom's name?"

Devlin chuckled. "Yes. I gave you a name as well, but I have since forgotten it…"

"Now isn't the time to reminisce, Dad. I need to save a friend now…"

-- -- -- -- --

Amy searched the burning and crumbling city for the crazed Tahra, who had set herself on a murderous rampage in search of the one who took her grandmother's life. So far, she was able to distinguish friend from foe, but Amy cared not to wonder when that distinction was lost.

She spotted Tahra in another small square, looking around furiously as people began to flee from her terrible visage. Amy, to ensure that she wasn't overpowered, went Super before stepping into Tahra's field of vision

"Tahra!" Amy called to her. The purple hedgehog turned to face Amy, her black and red eyes staring straight into Amy's. Neither made a move, but Tahra began to parley, in that same echoing, raspy version of her normal voice.

"What are you doing? Get out of my way!"

"Tahra, you need to stop while you still have some sanity left."

Those same black tears began running down Tahra's cheeks again. "You idiot…how can I be sane when the city I called my home for _half of my life _is burning to the ground around us! I saw the corpses of old friends burning! This city was so full of life! Now…now it's full of death!"

"Your grip on reality is slipping…let me help you!"

"No one can help me now…"

With that, Tahra lunged at Amy, trying to land a forceful punch to her face. Amy tried to block this attack, but found it to be far more powerful that first expected, sending her skidding back into a nearly collapsed building, stopping mere inches from it.

_Okay, Tahra's lost it, _Amy said to herself, _but I can't kill her. I just need to subdue her._

Amy tried to go for a quick KO with a roundhouse kick to Tahra's head, but this was grabbed, and Amy found herself smashing into, or rather, through a building, and into another intersection. As Tahra leapt through the hole and prepared to finish off Amy, when a blur of gold and silver smacked right into the berserking hedgehog. It was Sonic, and Tahra instantly recognized his touch, and seemed to return to her normal self, and seems to be all too aware of what was going on, and started sobbing as Sonic started carrying her in his arms.

"I…I think I almost killed Amy…I don't feel like myself anymore." She managed to shift back to her normal form.

"This is no time to go emo, Tahra…" he said calmly. "Let's get you back to the shrine…and we need to find the others, too."

-- -- -- -- --

The group, including the ex-Seraphim, Vahtri, Mikael and Knuckles, had been gathered inside the great altar where the trials had taken place after waiting out the invasion. The city was in ruins, and the fires were being extinguished by the rain. The four hedgehogs had their Sacred Arms in hand, and now were preparing to initiate the next stage of their plan. But what that would be was the question. Akuma made it clear to the others.

"The four bearers of the Sacred Arms will have to remain here in the temple, to train with me in using these weapons, as well as to hone their abilities."

"What about us, Akuma?" Tails asked. "We can't just sit around and do nothing!"

"Yeah, red guy…what can we do to help?"

Akuma smiled. "You know, there are more than four heroes in this little group. Perhaps its time I explained what I mean."

Akuma launched into a story of four great creatures, each the representative of one of the four classical elements. There was Behemoth of the Earth, Leviathan of the Water, Ziz of th Air…and the final one was the most surprising.

"You mean…I've been carrying the most powerful fire creature ever was in me this whole time, Akuma?" Amy exclaimed. Alneetha was the legendary Fire creature. With this comment acknowledged, Akuma continued on to say that the remaining three creatures were another piece of the plan to bring the Meteor Parasite and his minions to their knees. Once united, they could shatter the barrier around the meteor that brought Geddon to Earth, and then the bearers of the Sacred Arms could enter the meteor and take him out. But each creature needed to be called forth by someone with a strong tie to that element…

"And _that _is where you, you and you come in," Akuma finished, pointing to Vector, Zeipha and Vahtri respectively. "I believe you should be able to sense them, judging from the amount of time you have spent in this sacred place."

"So…all we have t' do is to go and find these big monsters," Sven asked, "and then we'll be ready to end all this mess? I hope they aren't hard to find, considering how big they are."

"They will have just awakened," Akuma replied. "But they won't stay still, considering that the forces of evil are probably looking for them as we speak. Make haste, and find them! Chosen, say your goodbyes now. You won't be seeing them for at least a year."

The four hedgehogs were dismayed by the length of time that they would have to be separated from their friends. The first to say his goodbyes was Sonic.

"Guys…I'm so glad that, despite what we did, you stood by us and helped us in any way you could. I could never ask for a better pack of friends, and I'm really gonna miss every one of you. Tails, Knuckles…I trust you to be leaders in my stead. Make sure that you find those creatures as fast as possible.

"How come _he _gets to pick the leaders," Rouge whispered to Nack.

"Don't ask me, I'm not the author…" Nack replied. Rouge gave him a weird look of surprise. Sonic stepped behind Akuma, and Amy was next. She had trouble holding back tears.

"Oh…what can I say…I'm REALLY gonna miss every last one you…you're all such wonderful friends! I can't possibly pick who I'm going to miss the most…" Amy broke down and rushed into Shadow's arms. After a quick consoling hug, Shadow was next.

"Well…this is certainly awkward. I…I never knew just how many people considered me a friend. I guess I have to thank you all for…well, making me happy. Can't say much else but sayonara for now. Guess that leaves you, Tahra."

The purple hedgehog shook her head, indicating she had nothing to say. She was still in shock about the sudden surge of her darker side, and didn't want to talk. All she did was wave. With that, goodbyes were over, and the time had come to begin the training. Akuma began to walk toward the altar, and a white portal opened up. With one last group wave, the four hedgehogs entered the portal, disappearing.

-- -- -- -- --

Shadow and Amy sat on the grass on one of the gardens on Akuma's immense island that floated in a star-lit void. The four hedgehogs were allowed a single night to get to know their surroundings. This was an opportunity for the two to confide in each other, and of course, to be all snuggly.

The first thing that Shadow noticed was that Amy had grown a little bit in the last day or two. She seemed curvier to him, and couldn't help but keep a slight size increase of her bosom. Being male, he couldn't help but stare.

After a few minutes, he got a sudden urge to touch Amy's chest, but managed to shake it off. He was starting to think like Eclipse, and that wasn't good. He tried to think of other things, but couldn't. Much to his surprise and relief, Amy glanced at him and seemed to confirm his urges.

"You can touch it if you really want to. I can tell you can't help yourself."

"Uh, that's okay, Amy," Shadow replied. She was giving him a look much like she did in his more perverted dreams. What was worse, she was starting to crawl on top of him. It was just like in those dreams. Shadow now half-expected the girl to start undressing. Instead, she just lay down on top of him, so that their noses were touching.

"C'mon, what's wrong? No one's around for miles. I'm ready when you are."

_I'm ready when you are_. Those five words kept playing over and over in Shadow's head, and he knew all too well what Amy meant…the dreaded three letter word that would change their relationship forever. One part of him had wanted this for so long, while another part insisted that now was not the time. He had not expected that Amy, who had barely turned sixteen, was so eager.

Shadow finally summoned the courage to tell her. "Amy…I don't think it's quite the right time for us yet."

Amy smiled. "Oh…that's okay. But still, maybe a…preview is in order?"

"…A preview?" Shadow asked. He soon got his answer in the form of a passionate kiss from the pink hedgehog, and she embraced him as hard as she could.

_"If this is the preview, then I can't wait for the feature!" _Shadow thought in this moment.

-- -- -- -- --

**Me**: And so begins the next part of the saga. And it looks like the relationship between Shadow and Amy is REALLY picking up. I wouldn't be surprised if they actually decide to go at it before the end of the story.

**Amy**: Yay! (glomps Shadow)

**Sonic**: Taking this a little too close to the M rating, eh Janus?

**Me**: Call me what you will, but the fangirls go crazy for it. Anyway, it's time to briefly put the spotlight on the lesser characters, for maybe ten chapters or so.

**Minor characters**: W00t!


	48. Chapter 48: Some More Plot

**Chapter Forty-Eight**

**Me**: There is more art by ScarletEbon aka Gaminefans on her Deviant Art! This time it's of the now-deceased toad Ribik, the hyena Krynku and Armeil (the echidna, who's a good guy)

**Krynku**: She truly brought out the glorious warrior in me! I applaud her!

**Me**: Yes...in other news, I have big plans for the coming conclusion.

**Tahra**: Oh? What's that?

**Me**: I'll explain everything at the end of the chapter.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Woo! What a (hic) party!" Regal whooped as he staggered back into Vera's room, since he was so inebriated. He flopped onto the bed, and began drawling out some demonic drinking song he had overheard.

"Regal…I know you're a party animal," Vera replied as she came in, "but don't you have work to be doing for your boss?"

"Nonsense, lovely…he can wait!" Regal beamed. "Now how about you c'mere and give me some sugar, toots!" Vera rolled her eyes. Despite the fact that she seemed to like her so-called pimp friend, she was not allowed to bed him or anyone else for that matter until she got her father's approval. It was something she was annoyed about frequently. All too often her boyfriends were either scared off by Nazo or he decided to feed their souls to the shadow soulless. Regal was lucky so far.

Unbeknownst to Regal, Vera was actually nearly a century old, having eaten a few young souls herself to keep her youth. She had many lovers over the decades, and only bedded someone once, and died soon after, and that was her first lover.

"You know what my father said…"

Regal groaned, and finally fell asleep. Now that the drunkard was out like a light, she could concentrate on other matters. She glanced at a stack of parchment on a nearby table then picked up a sheet and began to read it over. It was a report of the attack on Sylvania, dictating estimated damage, casualties and loot obtained in the raid. It was pretty boring, but one interesting detail caught her eye:

"_Unknown dark purple hedgehog with black and red eyes caused great damage to our forces. Despite presence of dark energy emanations, assumed to be an enemy."_

That hedgehog had to be Tahra, Regal's cousin. She had seen the girl at the dance that night. And the bat also remembered her father mentioning something called by human medical works as hadou syndrome. It was a mental disease, initially spawned by the Meteor Parasite itself. It turned all but the strongest-willed souls into heartless and cackling murderers. It must have been what the kid who escaped was injected with. Carriers directly injected with it could spread it with a touch, but never get the disease itself. This was quite interesting to her.

She continued to read the report, but she was interrupted by pulsations from her pendant. Daddy wanted to talk with her. She held the pendant next to her ear and established contact.

"_Daddy, this is a bad time."_

_Nonsense, this is very important news. _

"_It better be…I'm doing work."_

_Behemoth, Leviathan and Ziz have awoken, and we've entirely lost track of those four hedgehogs…but we have new targets…_

"_Keep talking, pops…"_

-- -- -- -- -- --

Krynku basked in the riches that his men had taken from the hallowed halls, homes and temples of Sylvania. Rings, holy relics, pottery, even tables…everything was laid in a pile in the hyena general's hut. It was a well-earned victory for the general. He could care less about his men. Many women had lost lovers, while others had lost brothers or sons. But he didn't care. The general had stopped caring years ago.

His moment of glory was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Haishin, who seemed annoyed at something. It soon became clear what it was.

"Where's my axe?" Haishin demanded, pointing at him. "Cough it up, hyena."

"Why should I?" Krynku protested childishly. "I earned it!"

"You promised that I could have my father's special axe after you sacked the city!"

"Oh," the general replied, "you should have known not to trust a hyena…did your parents teach you nothing?" He cackled at his ironic wit.

Haishin was now more annoyed than ever. "This isn't funny, hyena. Give it to me, or you'll have to answer to my shadow guardian." The aforementioned shadow guardian faded in behind the hedgehog and snarled ferociously. Though Krynku was not afraid, he decided to change his mind, out of amusement.

"Okay, I'll give it to you. You'll have to dig for it though."

Haishin said nothing, but merely snapped his fingers. The shadow creature dove into the pile and began digging around furiously, sending treasure everywhere and breaking many relics, much to the hyena's dismay. After a few minutes of this, the creature found said axe, and presented it to his charge.

"Thanks, general. I'll be off now," Haishin said with a grin. He had his little revenge, and now he had other matters to attend to.

-- -- -- -- --

"Owwww…not so hard," Sonic whined as Tahra landed a swift roundhouse kick to his left flank. It was the last of the designated sparring times on Akuma's strict training schedule. This was the four's first full day in Akuma's training realm, and it was going to be a long year.

"Sorry…can't help it," Tahra replied. "But that red slave driver says we have to do this with everything we have. How else can we end this mess? So, hit me with your best shot!"

"Alright then…" Sonic replied, but before he could actually attack, a bell sounded, indicated that the sparring time was over, as well as the day's training. They had been forced to do a wide assortment of tasks, from moving heavy boulders (to build strength) to practicing new techniques, both armed and unarmed. Tahra also managed to pick up Chaos Control quickly, much to everyone's delight. But now the time to rest had come, and the four were relieved.

Sonic and Tahra plopped down on their respective beds, which were across from each other. They were bruised, dirty and smelly from their intense workouts, and they were dead tired.

"Phew…what a day…and only three-hundred and sixty-four to go," Sonic groaned.

"At the very least…" Tahra added. They groaned simultaneously. As both lay there, sprawled on their beds, numb and sore all at once, a question somehow popped into Sonic's mind. It was a topic that he felt the need to discuss.

"Hey…I need to ask you something."

Tahra rolled over onto her side, facing Sonic. "Talking is about all I can do right now. Shoot."

"Have you ever wondered what things would be like if we never met?" Sonic asked. "Maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe the humans wouldn't have died."

The purple hedgehog sighed. "Don't be like that, Sonic. We only have so much control over the world around us. I'd say everything was written in stone when time began, but since we have no way of knowing what will happen, we might as well have free will. Look, I really don't want to pursue this topic further. I'm tired, and I bet you are as well."

Tahra stood up (with a great deal of effort) and started to leave, with heavy and tired footsteps. "I'm going to go and clean myself up in the shower. I don't want you peeking, Sonic, or I swear I'll convince Akuma to beat you within an inch of your life…got that?"

"Gotcha," Sonic said nervously. He knew what Akuma could do, and didn't want to go through that again. "Besides, I'll find the other shower anyway."

-- -- -- -- --

"It was a long day, wasn't it Amy?" Tahra asked as the two stood facing in opposite directions in the communal shower. They were pretty comfortable like this. There was no else around, and they always stood facing the wall.

"Yeah…" Amy replied. "Y'know, I was wondering if you felt anything particularly strong toward Sonic recently. I know you two are a couple…but I'm wondering if I'm approaching Shadow too strongly now. It's like I'm losing control of my emotions for Shadow…at least more so than usual."

"Do you think it's the air here? I had that problem when we came here too."

"I'm wondering if you-know-who is messing with our minds."

"…The Meteor Parasite? Yeah…I heard that he's been known to turn true love into abominable lust with ease. I wonder if the guys are being affected as well."

"I don't want to think about it," Amy replied, shaking off a fleeting vision of Eclipse and his disturbing yellow eyes. It would be a nightmare if Shadow were to decay into that state. "I think it's best if we keep our guard up around Sonic and Shadow for the time being."

"I'm all for that. Who knows what thoughts could be running through their heads?"

-- -- -- -- --

"I can feel him," Vahtri said excitedly. "Behemoth is near." The search for this great beast had taken the group almost nine days with no luck, so this news was very exciting to the group. Knuckles was the first to inquire about the creature's location.

"I can't tell for sure…" Vahtri answered. "But I can…"

But before she could finish, the ground began to rumble furiously, knocking anyone who had their feet planted on the ground. Charmy quickly took notice of a mountain not too far away, and it appeared that something was about to explode from the mountain.

"Guys…I think we found him…"

A second later, a huge hole was blasted out of the peak, and out came a creature of unbelievable size…there was no doubt that this was Behemoth. The creature seemed to be like a great hippopotamus made of stone and dirt, save its eyes, which were like massive rubies. It also had a mane, like a lion's composed of stone, and its teeth were like jagged diamonds. With three great leaps, it landed just in front of the group, making the ground rise, sending everyone on the ground up a few inches.

In a low, rumbling voice, Behemoth addressed the group, but kept his eyes on Vahtri.

"Ye who have found me and let me break my seal…I thank you…I am already aware of the dark threat upon us. I shall lend you my power."

"Thanks you…um…"

"There is no need." Behemoth then turned his gaze toward Knuckles. "Guardian of the Master Emerald, step forward." Knuckles did so, wondering why he was so important.

"Knuckles, I must, for the sake of all, discharge you of your burden of guarding the Master Emerald…for there is something your people have not spoke to you of…the true origins of that giant gem. I believe that the ex-Seraphim can answer for, since they have been the minions of its true creator for ages." Vahtri was now unnerved. Was her father one of these beings…the angels who took her mother away?

_No…I can't be one of them…_the girl dropped to her knees and began sobbing. _I just can't be one of them…_Eberon went over to console his stricken daughter, but she pushed him away and ran off into a pile of rubble.

"You guys do whatever you need to with Behemoth," Knuckles said. "I'll try and talk to her."

-- -- -- -- --

"Vahtri?" Knuckles called. He heard the girl sobbing from behind a rock wall. As he rounded the corner, he saw the girl, but somehow, she had managed to extend her angel wings, which she was using to hide herself in shame.

"Don't look at me! I'm a murderous freak!" the girl cried. Knuckles sighed with disappointment, and decided to try something else.

"I wouldn't love a murderous freak…no one would. But you aren't, okay? He's not like them, and that means you're not like them. Besides, I think the wings are a nice addition." His tone now turned more lovey-dovey, which was a little tough for him. "How about letting me in?"

Vahtri paused for a moment then opened up her wings a little, and Knuckles saw that her cheeks were black from tears, but she seemed to be smiling now. The red echidna smiled shyly, but went inside, and the wings closed up again.

"Hey, these things tickle!" Knuckles commented. Vahtri chuckled. Her red guardian always made her happy, even when he wasn't trying to. The two began nuzzling, and all seemed to be at peace…

-- -- -- -- --

**Me**: To make a long story short, the raid on the Meteor Parasite's lair will be far too graphic for a T rating. You have no idea just how twisted our seven-headed beast is.

**Sonic**: So…an M-rated director's cut?

**Me**: Yes. It will only be three or four chapters, though. I will post an abbreviated version for younger readers, though.

**Regal**: There will be big boobs in the director's cut, right?

**Me**: Perhaps, my fine pimpish friend,but definitely no nudity. That's against the site's policy.

**Regal: **You suck.


	49. Chapter 49: Forms Dark and Light

**Chapter Forty-Nine**

**Me**: I guess the search for the three beasts has taken a backseat to the hedgies anyway.

**Vector**: Yeah, what's the deal!

**Shadow**: Face it green guy…the fangirls demand fluff. And damn it, we'll give them fluff!

**ShadAmy Fangirls**: Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!1one

**Amy: **I dunno…some fangirls creep me out.

**Me**: (coughletmedothestorycough)

-- -- -- -- --

Tahra awoke from her sleep one day to a scream of pain that belonged to Sonic, followed by a crashing. She heard Akuma laughing heartily, almost maniacally. She was immediately afraid for her blue love's safety, and rushed outside. To her horror, Sonic was lying in a pile of rubble, all bloody and bruised, while Akuma was standing a few yards away without a scratch on him and looking very proud of the damage he'd done. Excalibur was stuck in one of the larger pieces of rubble.

"AKUMA, HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!" Tahra screamed at the top of her lungs, with tears starting to stream down her cheeks. Every muscle in her body was tensing up, and thoughts of vengeance poured through her consciousness.

"Now, now, young one…Sonic and I were just having a more intense session of training. He just didn't know what I meant." Akuma chuckled in a disturbing manner before approaching Sonic slowly. On instinct, the purple hedgehog leapt into his path, only to be flung aside like a rag doll. Akuma picked Sonic, kneed him in the gut and then grabbed his right leg and tossed him a few hundred yards away. Sonic grunted from the pain, but couldn't get up, let alone fight back. But now Akuma's attention turned to Tahra, who was getting up from the red hedgehog's last attack. As she did, an energy blast knocked her down, and seared her back.

"Well, it seems like someone ELSE wants an intense training session, judging by your attitude," Akuma chuckled. "Very well then, let's begin." He immediately began his assault by kicking her straight in the chest, knocking the wind out of her, then following up with a leg sweep to knock her down again, and flowed into a dashing punch.

The girl managed to get back on her feet and dodge a few energy shots before calling the axe, dubbed Labrys by Akuma, to her hand. Now she went on the attack, swinging the weapon with speed that seemed impossible for such a heavy weapon. But Akuma dodged these quite easily, which frustrated Tahra a lot. A wild swing left her wide open, and Akuma then continued to deliver a beat-down. But it seemed that Tahra was made of sterner stuff, and managed to take each hit and stay up, at least until the red hedgehog delivered a furious jab to her throat, making her stop and clasp it. As soon as she let go, Akuma grabbed her by it and hoisted her up with one hand.

"Well, well, you put up a good fight, Tahra," Akuma said, "but I'm afraid you've lost. As punishment, I think I'll blow your boyfriend into oblivion. I'm sure Excalibur can find a more suitable wielder." He pointed a finger at Sonic, and a ball of energy formed there. Tahra watched in horror as it grew bigger and bigger, until it was the size of a basketball.

_Please…oh heaven don't do it Akuma…you can't do this to me…first my grandmother and now Sonic? No, no…_

In a sudden burst of energy, Tahra forced herself out of Akuma's grip and kicked him, staggering him, and stopping the blast. The girl was pulsating with power, but not the kind from her Dark form. It was something else entirely. The same feelings of protectiveness, fear for the life of someone close to her and desire to help that Shadow, Amy and Sonic had felt were rushing through her now. This was the mental indication of the first transformation to Heroic form.

In a blaze of emerald green, heatless fire, the ancient power of her lineage ignited in her blood. Her fur shifted to a wondrous light blue color (thought not like Nazo), and a luminous green stripe now ran down her forehead, and it also. Another pair of quills appeared on the back of her head, and drooped down to about a quarter of the way down her back.

Her attire had changed as well. The shirt that she had been so used to dissolved, leaving only a shimmering silver bra that seemed armor-plated. The whole image was reminiscent of that ancient tribe of female warriors from whom Tahra was descended. Labrys had returned to her hand as well, as she readied herself to attack. But to her surprise, Akuma stood there, smiling.

"What, aren't you going to attack, Akuma?" Tahra asked with a little confusion in her still angry tone." Akuma finally began to explain what this whole mess was about.

"It was just as Sonic and I predicted…" the red hedgehog said.

"What do you mean, predicted?"

"It's quite simple…he told me how he had obtained his angel form…it was triggered by your screams of pain and anguish, combined by his drive to protect you. Emotions are what ultimately trigger these transformations. Sonic and I decided to make it come out by him getting beaten within an inch of his life. Had you not stopped me, I would have very well killed him."

_That idiot risked his skin…just for me, _Tahra thought. _That is so…so…stupid, but it's still so touching…I really don't know what to think right now._

"The time for pondering is over, axe-wielder," Akuma said, readying a fighting stance. "Show me what this new form can do!"

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Damn that Akuma…" Amy growled to herself as she clutched her bleeding arm and watched the so-called greatest warrior ever fly away. The pink hedgehog knew that the abuse she was taking was for the best, but couldn't help but feel that Akuma actually enjoyed seeing their pain. Why else would he go at them so hard?

Thankfully, her moment of anger was softened when she saw Shadow limp next to her. He had apparently been watching this whole time. He looked beat up as well, but completely forgot all about his injuries when he noticed Amy's bleeding arm.

"Amy…your arm…"

Amy held on to the wounded limb and looked away a little. "It's okay. Really, Shadow."

"Let me see it," Shadow said as he reached for it.

Amy shied away. "I'm serious. It's just fine," she replied, now slightly annoyed.

"For the last time, let me see." Amy finally relinquished her grip on the wounded limb, and Shadow looked it over, his ruby-red eyes scanning it carefully, and rubbing his gloved hand along the wound.

"Doesn't seem major…needs to be bandaged, though. Damn that Akuma, not providing sufficient medical supplies. You'd think the guy expects us to get killed…oh crap…now I have to wash this glove. I got your blood all over it."

"What about you, Shadow?"

"I'm just bruised, and I can regenerate it. I don't know about you, though…geez…you're gushing now." Shadow began to search for something to stop Amy's bleeding, and seeing none, he realized that he only one option.

"Amy, you may have to (gulp)…take off your shirt. Wrap it around your arm."

"Do I?" Amy asked, now a little nervous, remembering the talk she and Tahra had many weeks before.

Shadow was just as nervous. "Just do it, damn it!" Amy removed her shirt, while Shadow averted his eyes, desperately trying not to think those thoughts about her again. He started by simply looking away, but eventually had to literally rush off into the woods just to get his mind off of the girl he treasured.

_Why…why are they returning? _This thought was continually running through his head as he tried to force away the images of his inner desires. Even now Shadow saw Amy as something fragile and easy to break, and once broken, it could never be repaired.

Shadow tried to tell himself that this was all normal. It would be the same, if not worse in the case of Rouge. But it did nothing to calm him. It felt like some outside force was driving him into this state. He had to do something to knock himself back to sanity.

His frantic search revealed one of the many pools of water on the island. Shadow, without a second thought, ran toward it and dunked his head into the cold water, hoping the sudden change in temperature would bring his mind back to reality. But it failed miserably. Those images kept assaulting his conscious. He knew that someone was trying to warp his every thought, into the motive of deflowering the rose he had sworn to love and cherish…and that force was winning. But that force was something smaller than the point of a needle…

Shadow had been afflicted unknowingly by hadou syndrome, but it had a different effect on his mind and body. As Shadow felt his mind begin to decay, he felt his body painfully bend over and his upper body bulk up. His face was warped into one like a hyena, and his quills extended out to the middle of its bent back. The ruby glimmer of his eyes faded, but was replaced by the same yellow in Eclipse's eyes.

"_I'm so sorry…_" that was all Shadow could muster to say in his mind before he completely lost himself. His Dark form had finally reared its ugly head, and it was out for its own pleasure. The beast turned its eyes toward Amy and rushed back in her direction.

He skidded to a stop just a few yards away from Amy, who recoiled in terror at this beast. She quickly realized it was Shadow, which made it worse for her.

"Sh-shadow?"

The creature sat there, looking the girl over with a disturbing look in his eyes. Amy seemed to know what it wanted, and against her better judgment, kneeled down, closed her eyes and bowed her head.

_I was hoping my first time would be a little more enjoyable…_Amy said to herself, _but I did say I was ready._ _I just hope he gets done fast._

Shadow loped toward Amy, and began to sniff her, much like a dog would, which puzzled Amy. She had expected him to leap upon her like a wild animal. Here, he was acting almost puppy-like. Was it a ruse to lull her into a false sense of security, or was the good Shadow trying to fight back?

She tried stroking Shadow's head, and he seemed to take pleasure in it. His eyes were trying to shift back to red, and it seemed like the good Shadow was winning. A few minutes of this, to her amazement, managed to return Shadow to his normal form, with his head still in her lap. He had realized all that had happened, and seemed very ashamed.

"Amy…I'm sorry about…"

"Don't be that way, Shadow…you stopped yourself."

"I'm scared that it will happen again…it was too close."

Amy lovingly embraced the black hedgehog, and his soul was comforted, the fear of rejection passing from his mind. The thoughts that drove him to the madness were gone for now, and in their place was simply the love he had for that pink hedgehog who had stolen his heart yet again.

-- -- -- -- --

"I don't understand," Geddon roared. "How could that girl, without so much as landing a single punch, defeat the one creature she fears! That black and red hedgehog was reduced to a mere puppy! It makes me so mad!"

"You have obviously misjudged them, master," Nazo replied. Regal was there with the two as well, watching Shadow and Amy with interest. In all his years, he had scoffed at the notion of real love. He had always considered his girls as cultists in the religion that worshiped him. But as he observed all this, he couldn't help but wonder if he was truly in need of a special someone. A memory came back to him…

_Regal was suddenly interrupted by the grey bat whom he had added a week before to his band of groupies, who immediately rushed into his arms._

"_Vera? What's wrong, sugar?" he asked._

"_My chest hurts a lot…and I think my pendant is stuck…I-I can't get it out."_

_Regal glanced at her chest, and saw that her pendant had extended tiny wires that had injected themselves into the bat's breasts…and they seemed to be slowly inflating, much like balloons. The girl was obviously in pain, and the red hedgehog didn't like seeing one of his girls suffer. With a smile, he deftly pulled the two wires out, and Vera was back to normal in a few seconds._

"_All better now, kid?" Regal asked, still holding the bat in his arms. Vera nodded shyly. She hadn't known Regal for very long, so she had not yet obtained her status as his favorite. That title was held by a white hedgehog that was notoriously snobbish, and flaunted her status. Sshe burst into the room at that moment and she was obviously angered at the lesser member of Regal's group._

"_Hey! Bat-girl! Out!" the hedgehog demanded. _

"_Now, now, my lovely, the girl just needed a little attention, that's all. It'll only be a minute."_

"_What about MY priority?" the white hedgehog replied._

_Regal had just about enough of this disrespectful girl, who had already annoyed him several times in the recent past. Now it was the last straw._

"_YOUR priority!" the red hedgehog responded angrily. "I know you're my favorite…but every girl who I take in gets at least SOME time with me. Vera needs it more than you! If you're gonna hog me just because of your status, you don't DESERVE it."_

"_Regal…you aren't…"_

"_Get out of my sight, you slut!" The white hedgehog ran out of the room in tears. Vera was somewhat surprised that Regal could shove the girl who he was always around away like that._

"_Thanks for defending me, Regal…but who's going to be your favorite now?"_

"_I have to think about it…"_

Regal was a bit surprised by the conclusion he came to…he actually had feelings for Vera…and then she knew that all that evil in her hear was just something to please her father…otherwise he could kill her in a way that even he thought disturbing. Vera was a lost soul, as was he…and maybe revenge on Tahra wasn't the best idea…

-- -- -- -- --

**Me**: Love conquers all…yet again! And we have a new pairing!

**Shadow**: Regal x Vera, huh? I suppose they're going to come to our side before the story ends.

**Me**: Could be…

**Amy: **Shadow and I are that cute of a couple? We can make other couples form as well?

**Nazo**: It sickens me.


	50. Chapter 50: Romantic Flashbacks

**Chapter Fifty **

**Me**: Fifty chapters and 15,000-plus views. Wow. It's time to do something significant.

**Tahra**: I wish I knew what to suggest.

**Cream**: When in doubt…fluff works.

**Me**: Very well then…it's time for romantic flashbacks! Oh, and ScarletEbon had added two couple arts: TailsxCream and KnucklesxVahtri! Kyuteness!

-- -- -- -- --

"Cream?" Tails asked the rabbit as the two relaxed on the beach near where the boat Nack and Rouge had bought for the search for Leviathan. Cream acknowledged that she was listening by turning her head toward him.

"Well…I was kind of wondering what you think of all that's happening lately…and what you think of me…well, not being a fox. I know it still might be weird being sixteen when you're really nine…"

Cream smiled. "I think I've gotten used to the mindset and feel, actually. And I also like the way you look too…"

Tails blushed. For all his six-thousand-plus year life span, he had never been approached in this manner, and he wasn't quite sure how to respond without coming on too strong. Cream knew how he felt, but it seemed like she was responding at last. For most of the time that they had known each other, their relationship had been platonic, more like being very good friends. But now it seemed like the rabbit who had won him over was finally ready to kick it up a notch.

The half-kitsune sighed and looked away dejectedly. "Well, uh…it's a shame what happened to your mother and your Chao. I wish I could bring them back." To his surprise, Cream didn't seem too sad at all. She simply nudged up closer to the fox.

"We can't change what happened in the past, as much as we'd like to. I guess I've moved on now, after all this time. Besides, there are sure to be all sorts of new experiences ahead, right?" Cream was now right up against Tails, who was quickly getting nervous, yet excited at the same time. It was now official…Cream wanted to become his official girlfriend. As this idea sunk again, he found himself in Cream's embrace, and she had just given him his first real kiss in his entire six-thousand year lifespan.

The half-kitsune felt like the time he spent working for the wicked Armeil was another lifetime entirely. Milos Fylerian, six-thousand-year-old Seraph…it was a past life for him now…he was just Miles "Tails" Prower, mechanical genius, sixteen years old, and he was the boyfriend by one lovely young rabbit. The memories of more innocent days returned to him.

"_You and me go to the carnival? I dunno, Cream…" Tails said nervously. "I have lots of work to do in my shop…"_

"_Nonsense, my boy," Vanilla replied. "I'm sure you and Cream will have a great time! Isn't that right, Cheese?" The Chao warbled in agreement before turning to its companion, Chocola, who also nodded in agreement. Seeing that he was outnumbered, he sighed._

"_Okay…you got me…I'll come. I guess I need a break anyway."_

"_Yay!" Cream squealed as she jumped up and down. Cheese and Chocola were soon bouncing around with joy. Cream's mother found this sight amusing, while Tails tried to hide his embarrassment. He couldn't believe that he had to act like such a child…_

That was the thing Tails was missing…he had never truly been a kid until he had met Sonic. Since the blue hedgehog was clueless as to the half-kitsune's true identity, he treated him as a little brother, which he liked to a certain degree. He had met so many wonderful people, that he almost regretted that they would have all had to die for their sins…at least until Cream made him see. He silently thanked her for that. The sun was going down now, and soon the night would be upon them…

-- -- -- -- --

The group was out at sea now, seeking the great sea beast Leviathan. Nack was standing on the deck looking at the stars, something he rarely did. He was soon joined by Rouge, who stood next to him.

"Hey, toots," Nack said without looking at her. "You came to stargaze with me?"

"Yeah, I guess so…and for another reason too. I guess that…I owe you a lot."

"…In what way?" Nack asked.

Rouge scratched the back of her head nervously as she tried to search for the best way to thank the weasel for all he had done. Though she had initially reacted with disdain to the weasel when he had first encountered Amy, she was starting to rethink the whole thing…especially when she remembered the day they first met…

"_Hey, kid…you lost or somethin'?" a purple weasel with a fedora asked Rouge. The girl, thirteen and innocent, was indeed lost…she had no idea where she was or who to trust. The weasel was the first person to talk to her in weeks, and he seemed friendly enough._

"_Yeah…all I remember is being left here for…I really don't know."_

"_Well, it ain't right for a kid, especially one as nice-look'n as you to be left in the gutter."_

_Rouge blushed. Even though she was all dirty, this weasel had managed to complement her on how pretty she was. "So, can you help me, sir?"_

_The weasel smiled. "I guess I can, kid. I'll let you crash at my place until we find you a better place to live. Remember, this ain't permanent. By the way, I guess I should know your name."_

"_It's Rouge. What about you?"_

"_Just call me Nack, kiddo."_

Nack had taken her in when only the whorehouses would otherwise. When the weasel couldn't find a good home for her, he decided to keep her around. He soon discovered a natural gymnastic talent in young Rouge, and decided to mentor her in the ways of the thief-acrobat. He also taught the girl a little con artistry on the side when he noticed how quickly men seemed to fall for her good looks.

As a present on Rouge's fifteenth birthday, Nack dug into his own wallet to buy Rouge breast implants, much to the girl's surprise. That was alsowhen the weasel began his more romanticapproaches, which she found a bit uncomfortable. Buteven though the bat was going into her own, Nack was always there to watch her back and get her out of a snag whenever he felt he needed to intervene. What she thought was possessiveness in her eyes was protectiveness in his. Nack could have very well perceived those men as less of a threat to what he had than as a threat to her.

Rouge finally recalled the day the two finally split up due to a run-in with the law…

"_A little more to the left, Rouge…yeah, stop."_

"_Have you been sticking to your diet? You weigh a ton!" Rouge complained as she continued to hold the rope Nack was suspended from._

"_Rouge, I'm slipping, damn it!" The rope finally slipped out of Rouge's hands. Nack fell through one of the lasers, sounding an alarm that rang through the entire neighborhood. Most thieves would have bolted the scene, but Rouge felt obligated to help Nack out. She fluttered down to see if he was alright._

"_Damn it, ya stupid girl…you had to drop me, didn't you?"_

"_Look, I'm sorry…" Rouge began, but Nack stopped her by a hand to her lips._

"_Security robots…get going, and I'll cover you."_

He'd been covering her ever since they met. But that one slip-up ended up putting Rouge on the path to success. Her natural charisma and distinct feminine wiles had gotten her out after three days, even landing her a job as a government spy while Nack was thrown in the clink, supposedly for the next twenty years. The weasel, being who he actually was, escaped the next day and skipped town. A few months later, Rouge received the note about the lucky ring.

When the two had met up again, Rouge had given the weasel the cold shoulder. But now she was wondering whether she actually cared about the weasel that had practically raised her. Maybe Knuckles, who she had seen as a rival, _was_ just a rival. He seemed happy enough with Vahtri.

"Well, aren't you going to answer me?" Nack asked, returning Rouge to reality.

"Oh, sorry…I got lost in thought. I just want to thank you for all you've done for me. Really, I'm grateful." Rouge pecked the weasel on the cheek and leaned on him, much like she had seen Amy do. Nack stood there with a dreamy look in his eyes.

_Daaaamn, that's hot, _Nack said to himself as he tried his best to keep his knees from buckling.

-- -- -- -- --

"For so long my family's been guarding a tool of evil," Knuckles sighed as he and Vahtri were spending a little time together the next morning. "How could I have lived such a lie?" The red echidna was still trying to come to grips with the fact that the Master Emerald was created by Nazo to stifle the flow of life energy in the world, as well to seal the full potential of the Chaos Emeralds from the world. He banged his fist against the wall, making it ring like a tuning fork.

"_All _of the Guardians were fooled, Knux. Besides, you said yourself that the Master Emerald has been used for good. So it isn't truly evil, right?"

"Yeah…but what sort of evil was the Master Emerald used for? There were no legends about the Master Emerald before it came to the echidnas…why couldn't we know the truth! DAMN IT ALL!" Knuckles continued to punch angrily at the hole, eventually smashing a hole in it. The sharp metal slashed at his skin, cutting his arm open in several places. Knuckles winced, and gripped his arm. Vahtri managed to stop herself from panicking, and told Knuckles to show her. As she ran her fingers along the arm, a blue aura that was barely visible formed around the red echidna's arm, closing the wounds instantaneously. Both echidnas were stunned by this sudden occurrence.

"Okay…that was weird," Vahtri said. "I think I just…"

"Healed me?" Knuckles said. "I don't know _how _you did it, but that's so sweet!"

Eberon, meanwhile, had been watching the two from a distance, and smirked. He knew what his daughter just did and why…the girl was gifted with healing powers that she could not yet control. It was also the secret ingredient to her cookies that gave the confections their amazing restorative properties…he had alluded to it before, but apparently the red echidna whom he had entrusted his daughter to didn't get the message.

He was surprised when Armeil joined in watching Knuckles and Vahtri. The blue echidna had ditched his angel robes for a brown leather biker jacket, boots and blue jeans at port the previous night. He seemed very happy with himself.

"What's the big grin, Armeil?" Eberon asked.

"Well, my large and grey friend…let me put it this way…hopefully Milos is going to be an uncle in nine months or so." Eberon's jaw dropped open instantaneously.

"You did it, didn't you? You actually…"

"Indeed. Its taken six thousand years, but it was worth the wait."

"What will the boy think?" Eberon asked. "He's extremely intelligent."

"I'm sure he'll handle it well," the blue echidna replied.

-- -- -- -- --

"Okay Akuma…what kind of toil and/or suffering are you going to put us through TODAY?" Sonic groaned when the four hedgehogs had lined up, awaiting the day's tasks. Akuma's response was a big surprise to the four.

"Actually, I'm assigning nothing at all, Sonic. You four are getting the day off. Besides, I believe one of you four has a birthday today." He approached Tahra and presented her with a small wooden box about the size of a shoebox.

"Happy eighteenth birthday, Tahra," the red hedgehog said before flying off. Sonic, after a few moments, started knocking himself on the head. He, of all people, should have remembered her birthday. They were a couple after all. The purple hedgehog noticed this, and smirked.

She wasn't hurt at all by Sonic's forgetfulness. It was just like him to forget things like this. It was like his mind was always in overdrive, and sometimes his mouth couldn't keep up with his train of thought. Then again, with all the trouble that's been going on, even _she_ had forgotten about her own birthday.

"Tahra…I AM SO SORRY…" Sonic moaned as he came up to her, walking on his knees, hoping he wouldn't get hurt by her. "I can't believe I forgot it!"

"Your birthday is today, Tahra!" Amy exclaimed. "I had no idea!" Amy gave Tahra a friendly hug a female would give to another female friend on an occasion like this. The purple hedgehog rolled her eyes, but accepted the hug for what it was.

"I guess I should be saying the same thing, Tahra," Shadow replied. "I don't know when mine is…long story."

"Thanks guys," Tahra said "Do you mind if just me and Sonic see what Akuma's gift was?" Shadow and Amy nodded, and went off to do their own thing, leaving the purple and blue hedgehogs to see what their mentor's present was.

The present contained two white rings that could slip onto her wrists, much like the ones she had tied onto her shoes. There was also a note, which had somewhat illegible handwriting:

_These were meant for your mother. Put these and the ones on your shoes on your wrists. You'll be pleasantly surprised._

With a shrug, Tahra did so after removing her typical spiked bracelets. At first, nothing happened, but then she got an unpleasant tingling feeling, much like being affected by static electricity. It soon wore off.

"Okay…that was weird…and pointless."

"I'm sure there has to be _some _benefit," Sonic replied. "I'm sure something will come up sooner or later. So, since it's the day off, is there anything you want to do for your birthday?"

"Oh, just walk with you, talk with you…make out on the ground with you…"

Sonic nearly fell over when he heard the last statement. Tahra started laughing, and soon Sonic realized that she was only joking, and was slightly disappointed too. He had really enjoyed that first time.

"So, just walking and talking, huh?"

The girl nodded. "I guess the best gift I have is you being here with me. Now c'mere, you handsome blue guy…"

_I guess she wants to show me a little love after ALL…sweet._

-- -- -- -- -- --

Shadow and Amy were sitting together in a different garden when a question came to the black hedgehog's head, and he wondered why he never asked it up until now. "Amy…I never really asked you…about _your_ past."

Amy sighed, being unaware of the sincerity of Shadow's question. "You know what it is…I was genetically modified to become an ultimate life form, like you, except I was injected with a mixture containing dragon's blood. What's more to know?"

The black hedgehog shook his head. "No…not that. I never heard about where you lived...the only relative of yours I ever met was your brother. What was life like for you? I'll listen about the one with your foster family. I'd just like to know."

Amy was surprised. For a long time, she had forgotten her family. She was so occupied with Sonic, that she never could remember much of anything farther into her past than when she was ten. She now shuddered at the old outfit of a green shirt and yellow tutu-like dress, even more than the red outfits she shredded years ago. But as she dug through her memories, something did come up…a fond memory, luckily. It was of Christmas…she was six or seven, while she couldn't remember her brother's age.

"_And here's one for our little girl…" a dark brown hedgehog in his mid-thirties said to the little Amy when she gave her a small box wrapped in red and green paper. Amy gleefully commenced to rip it open, and squealed when she saw the contents…the first of her many red ribbons._

"_It's so pretty! Thank you mommy…thank you daddy!"_

"_Don't thank us; it was your brother's idea."_

"_Thanks, Yakky! You're the best!" Amy hugged her older brother._

After that, it seemed like much of her life was coming back to her…it was amazing how a single memory could trigger the return of many others. She described her foster family in surprisingly great detail, as well as a few notable events in her pre-Sonic years. Shadow listened carefully, nodding sometimes, smiling at other times.

He was a bit jealous of Amy…she had once had a family, while the professor and Maria, while both people he deeply cared about…they weren't really family. Even when Gerald had called Shadow his son, in retrospect, did nothing. But now, perhaps in the not-so-distant future, he and Amy could have a real family…together.

-- -- -- -- -- --

**Me**: (grins)

**Tails**: You had to do it, didn't you?

**Me**: I only mentioned it.

**Cream**: I think being an aunt will be pretty nice.

**Tails**: What's that supposed to mean?

**Me**: (winks)


	51. Chapter 51: Dissension In Evil's Ranks?

**Chapter Fifty-One**

**Me: **(sings) Because of you I'm aliiiiive…for you I'm awaaaaake!

**Shadow**: Yeah! Godsmack is teh sheeznat! (rocks out)

**Me**: Word. (also rocks out)

**Tahra**: You've listened to that song way too much, Janus. Get on with the story.

**Knuckles: **Yeah, we need to find Leviathan.

**Me**: Very well. Onward to victory!

-- -- -- -- --

"The waves are getting a lot stronger," Vector said to Armeil suddenly. "I think Leviathan's close…real close. Tell everyone to get below deck…leave this to me and the big guy." Armeil nodded, and went to spread the warning while the crocodile turned his eyes back to the great expanse of ocean before him. He waited a few minutes, trying to key himself to the great water creature's mind waves as best as he could, then raised his arms into the sky.

Moments later, the sea began to calm, save for a single great bulge slowly rising on the water's surface. After a few seconds, the bulge burst open and sent water pouring onto the deck. This would have knocked the crocodile into the drink had he not slammed into a railing.

When Vector got up, he was in awe…it was a whale…but at least fifteen times larger than even the largest whales…its length, glistening with pure blue, stretched for at least a quarter-mile out to sea, and its great azure eye was the size of a small car.

"You, crocodile…have awakened me from my millennia-long slumber. I am Leviathan, king of the ocean. I know of the world's trouble, and I will join your cause whole-heartedly." After saying that, the whale remained where it was. Vector was puzzled at this.

"Uh…is there anything else that's gotta happen, big guy?"

"I must go now…dark forces approach…"

The whale quickly dove into the water with almost no rippling in the water. A few seconds later, a black mass could be seen in the distance, and it was approaching rapidly. Vector barely had enough time to get inside the boat before the creature, an immense shadow dragon, had landed on top of the boat. But it wasn't alone…Haishin had ridden it here, and was after someone specific. With a few swings of his family's axe, now tainted with evil, he smashed the door down and began his search. Immediately, he was met with Tails and the other Seraphim.

"So…the six greatest servants of the master have banded together to guard these inferior beings…how ridiculous. Move aside and I won't hurt you."

Tails found this humorous. He expected to defeat all six of them? He had to be kidding. Armeil could defeat him with both hands tied behind his back, so how could they lose when it was six on one? The ex-Seraphim soon got his answer, when the hedgehog took the massive axe and sent all six of them careening, each punching holes in the walls and some of them falling into the water. For reasons none of them were sure of, they were all paralyzed by this attack.

"You should have stood aside, Nack…" Haishin said with a grin. "It's amazing what a little bit of the Parasite's blood tempered into a weapon can do." Now that the main threat was disposed of, he could easily complete his mission. He burst into one of the rooms, and found his target: the white bat. She had no idea who this fellow was, so she was defiant.

"Just who do you think you are, punk…coming in here like you _own _this boat?"

The hedgehog chuckled, inverted his axe, leaned on the handle and looked Rouge up and down.

"Just as the boss said…you're exactly what he's looking for."

"What do you mean by that, axe-boy?" Rouge asked in her usual manner.

"Oh, you'll see…"

Haishin pointed at Rouge, and then she found herself inside an orb of pure, impenetrable darkness, and soon she was unconscious…

-- -- -- -- -- --

Shadow didn't know what to think at the time. A few minutes ago, he was minding his own business when Amy approached him. But instead of the sweet, kind girl she usually was, he found himself under the gaze of a different side of her…a darker side. He hadn't expected Amy's Dark form to be so…pretty. In fact, it was just like in his more perverted dreams…her breasts were significantly enlarged, and she was curvier as well. But there was one extra feature that made him realize what was wrong: she seems to have extended canines, much like Rouge's. She was also wearing black clothing, if that was any indication that this wasn't the good Amy.

Immediately, she rushed up to Shadow and tackled him. After that she began to do very unsettling things as she sat on top of him, among them whispering lewd things, describing everything they would do when the time came that they would consummate their love. One thing was sure: she was going to have some fun with him…and fun that he knew that would jeopardize everything they were going through if it was to happen now.

Fortunately for both of them, Akuma had sensed trouble, and came as fast as he could, and quickly put Amy out of commission, after which her form reverted to its normal state. Shadow had to know what was going on.

"The sickness known as hadou syndrome…I believe that all four of you are afflicted with it, which is why each of you has had your darker selves take control. I am quite sure that the Meteor Parasite is the ultimate source of the organism that inflicts the sickness. And as far as I know…the only way to cure it would be to destroy the source. But for now, I think it's best if you and Amy do not see each other for the remainder of your time here."

"What?" Shadow protested. "That's not right!"

"I think you two are having trouble controlling your emotions…you two are like addicting drugs to each other. The very smell of her drives you wild, bringing out the more sinister and perverted side of yourselves. The same goes for her. You know very well what could have happened if I had not intervened. I haved separated Sonic and Tahra as well, for different reasons."

Shadow knew all too well what would have happened. They would have had sex, and there was a good chance Amy would have gotten pregnant…and she would not be able to fight while carrying a baby. It was either that or having to abort the child, and Shadow could not bring himself to kill someone he had given life to, even if they were unborn.

"Alright, Akuma…you win. But where can I go? There's only one island in this void, right?"

"No…there are two. The other is very distant, though. The fog surrounding this island conceals it. Besides, you and Sonic, as well as the two girls, are going to learn a valuable skill."

"What?"

Akuma began to fly off, but slowly, so he could continue to speak with Shadow. "You shall see tomorrow. But we must leave for the other island this very moment. Come, Shadow."

The ebony hedgehog sighed, glanced at Amy one last time, and flew off with Akuma.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Work, you worms!" the voice of Doctor Eggman cackled over the loudspeaker in his metal tower. "I want this city to be a monument to my genius, and to the glorious reign of me and those who control your fate!" After Krynku's attack on the city, the Doctor's fleet bombed the city, reducing much of it to rubble. Now he had much of its citizenry working day and night rebuilding it into a city of steel and machinery to serve as a base for the mechanized divisions of the Meteor Parasite's army.

But one thing was still clawing at the cybernetic scientist's half-machine brain: when that accursed blue hedgehog would appear. For all his success, he knew he could not rest easy as long as Sonic and his friends were alive. His hatred for Sonic had grown as his city did, and when he saw any hedgehog that looked like Sonic, he would fly into a rage and have that hedgehog killed.

Regal was with him too, having just come back from checking out the Academy, which he now controlled. His epiphany about his affection for Vera had done little to change him otherwise. He viewed the suffering of the workers with neutrality. He could barely feel any emotions at all if neither Vera nor any of his girls were around.

"Hey doc, you seem to be really steamed at that blue hedgehog, Sonic, even more than me. I never learned why." The scientist turned to Regal, and stared intently at him with his robotic eye, and drummed his fingers impatiently before answering.

"Steamed doesn't begin to describe how I feel about that hedgehog. He and I have been enemies for years. You met him only once. It seems you are angrier at that purple hedgehog who you claim to be your cousin than Sonic."

Regal considered Eggman's statement, and found it to be true. His hatred was aimed toward Tahra more than anyone else even it was Sonic who had insulted him. His mind dug through his memories, trying to find one good memory he had of his cousin. But he could find nothing of the sort. His own hatred had made him forget.

Meanwhile, the mad scientist was ranting and raving about all the times Sonic and his friends had foiled his plans for world domination, which Regal found as funny. If the doctor was such a genius, how could he have been defeated so easily time and time again? He started to view the doctor as immature and childish…it was strange about why Nazo had put so much trust in this bloated buffoon.

As he contemplated this, he heard someone enter…it was Vera, strutting in as always and his heart skipped a beat. She also had a few other girls, two hedgehogs, an echidna, and a two-tailed kitsune with her. They were brainwashed and made completely loyal to Regal and Vera, more so to Regal, whom they already adored. The girls immediately swarmed around the red hedgehog. He became more like his old self: a regular Casanova, once he was surrounded by his ladies. Meanwhile, Vera went to talk with Doctor Eggman about more serious matters.

"How goes the rebuilding, Doc?" she asked, as she began to twirl her finger around his half-mustache. Eggman did not like such things, and brushed her hand away, but answered her question.

"Progress is a bit slow right now, but I believe the city will be rebuilt in time for the anniversary of its conquering, with the proper encouragement to the workers. That is the news I bring to your father, Vera. Now leave me be. I have no time to be fondled."

"Suit yourself, machine man…" Vera said as he started out of the room. She clapped a few times, and the girls began leading out of the room, into another chamber.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Okay, ladies…your Regally-poo needs some alone time with his favorite, okay?" the red hedgehog chuckled as he managed to nudge the girls off of him. "Go and do something else, okay?" The girls obediently left the room to do things Regal did not wonder about. Besides, he had to ask that question to the bat he adored for some reason. As Vera sat next to the hedgehog, fondling him as he always did, he tried to gather the words he needed to say what he wanted to say.

"Vera…do you love me?"

The bat stopped for a moment, then grinned. "You're my lover…if that's what you mean. What a stupid question. Relax your little head, Regal…"

"No, I'm being serious here…I mean...would you want to spend your life with me…have kids?"

Vera started laughing hysterically. "You nimrod…I have no reason to feel _that_ way about you. Only one with a feeble mind could consider something like that. Love, as you seem to define it, is a fleeting thing. You can't tie yourself down to one person, if that's what you mean. Now shut up and relax."

The red hedgehog couldn't take it anymore. He wasn't getting through to her. Was she just acting, or had the darkness that was dragging his heart and soul into the void of total hatred for all things consumed her too? He pushed her aside, and he stood on the opposite side of the bed, trying to reason with her…maybe if they could work together, they both could get out to the darkness.

"Vera…do you remember the day you first showed up at the Academy?"

"Yeah, what's your point?"

"You were scared…alone, and friendless."

Vera shook her head. If she was going to snap the red hedgehog out of his ranting, she had to tell him the truth. But Regal kept trying, not giving the bat a chance to speak.

"When I took you in, all the other girls looked down on you. That white hedgehog Melody treated you like dirt. That's why she was kicked out of my group. That same day, I saw firsthand what your father does to you if you don't follow his orders…"

Vera was about to interrupt Regal when she heard this…and she knew deep down that he was right. For almost a century, she had followed her father's wishes on the threat of death when she would literally explode from a dark energy overload…a horrible and repulsive fate, even for her. She had convinced herself that this was what she wanted to do in life…and now she was starting to question it again. But this triggered daddy's punishment…she immediately dropped to her knees in pain, trying to keep her chest from expanding. She immediately stopped thinking about Regal's words, and she was back to normal. The red hedgehog shook his head in disappointment.

"See what I mean. I'm surprised he hasn't done something like to me."

"Maybe I should suggest it to him."

"You don't have the guts." With that, Regal turned on his heel and left the room, leaving the bat to wonder once more about her situation…

-- -- -- -- --

**Tahra**: Boob inflation as a way to die? That's sick.

**Me**: That's kind of the idea...gotta make Nazo and Geddon as evil as possible, just so everyone will hate them more. The next chapter is going to be cool, though!

**Raiden**: Y'know, we non-paired characters get almost no time. I don't think I've even said anything for a while now relevant to the plot.

**Sven**: Yah better not have forgotten us, Janus.

**Black Doom**: Yes…you need to focus on all of the characters, you fool!

**Me**: Fine! Fine! I'll include you people in the next chapter too.

**Ragozine**: Good.


	52. Chapter 52: Fusions and Heartless

**Chapter Fifty-Two**

**Me**: Okay folks, the final part of the journey is drawing ever closer! Soon four epic battles will ensue: Shadow vs. Black Doom….Amy vs. Ragozine…Tahra vs. Evil Armeil…and you may or may not be surprised as to who Sonic had to take down…

**Sonic**: Is it…

**Me**: (claps hand over Sonic's mouth) No, Sonic! Don't spoil it! Anyway, it's time to pull yet another DBZ-based trick out of my hat…those lovely things called fusions.

**Amy**: That sounds cool! Start writing!

-- -- -- -- --

"Land…oh, glorious land!" Raiden howled as he flung himself off the boat and kissed the dock.

He had hated every moment of the sea journey, and was elated to be back on solid ground after two months at sea, looking for Leviathan.

"Ah, it wasn't so bad, m'boy…" Sven replied as he pulled the wolf back up. The mole was also happy to be back on land, but not in the same way as Raiden. He wanted to return home to Molondon and see his wife and son again, assuming nothing terrible had happened. But he knew that it would not happen until the Meteor Parasite was defeated. He just had to be strong and do everything he could to help.

Though Charmy and Espio were glad to walk on solid ground again, Vector felt like he was going to miss the ocean…as if a small part of him was forevermore tied to the great expanse of water. But now the matter of finding Ziz was at hand. He glanced at the hawk, Zeipha, who was already looking to the skies for the great bird.

Ziz, as she had heard in hawk folklore, was a bird of such great size that when it was first created, it changed day into night whenever it opened its great wings. But the mysterious powers that govern the universe knew that such a creature would destroy it, so they reduced it to a mere one-hundredth of its original size, and then forced it to nest on the moon. But with the Meteor Parasite threatening, surely it would be allowed to come to earth and await the one who would call it. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would be the one to call it. But something else was on her mind…the weasel, Nack.

Never in her life had she known a weasel to be that devastated about losing someone they cared about. She had always thought that weasels cared for no one but themselves, and perhaps their money. But Nack made her, and everyone in the group, see otherwise. She watched Tails and Cream walk past her, and sighed. She could remember the days she and Jet had spent together…there weren't many times that they went out, but when they did, she loved it. She started to wonder how he was doing.

Her attention was distracted when she noticed a black, shadowy head with two yellow eyes poking out from some boxes. This head quickly withdrew as the hawk went to investigate. As she peered over, the shadow creature leapt out of its hiding place and knocked her down. It tried to gnaw at her chest, but she flung the shadow creature off…but she didn't have to use her hands. With simply a thought, a rush of air blasted the monster upwards and into the water, where it sunk into the deep. Armeil, who had seen the whole thing, came over to see if Zeipha was okay.

"Yeah, I'm alright…what was that thing?"

"Heartless."

"Yeah, that was pretty heartless of it to just attack me like that. Then again, it doesn't have a soul."

"No…it's called a Heartless."

"Huh?"

"As the ex-leader of the Judgment, I have knowledge of the Meteor Parasite's minions. Heartless are beings, who, quite obviously, lack hearts. They are not truly evil, but they act entirely on instinct, and will follow anyone who can command them, but no good individual would dare associate with Heartless on anything but hostile terms. That is all I can tell you."

"So…that could have been a friend?" Zeipha asked.

"Do not try and think about that."

-- -- -- -- -- --

"I still have a hard time believing it…" Tahra said to Amy one morning a few weeks later. "I wake up, and Sonic's nowhere to be found on this island! It's like they just disappeared."

"It's my fault," Amy replied, still very ashamed. "I let my dark side overtake me…I remember everything so clearly. If Akuma hadn't intervened…I don't think I'd be able to fight anymore."

"By the way…where is Akuma today?" Tahra wondered out loud. She looked around the sky for a minute or two before she noticed him flying towards the island from the fog. When he came down and approached them, the two noticed that he was carrying a pair of silver bracers studded with small gems of varying colors embedded in them, and each had a large ruby embedded in it too. To their surprise, each of them received only one of these items.

Akuma immediately began to instruct the two girls. "Amy, put yours on your left arm…Tahra, you put yours on your right arm." They did so, and their mentor continued.

"Now, press the large ruby, both of you."

The two girls shrugged, and did so while Akuma took a big step back. Nothing happened for a second, but then both girls felt magnetically attracted to each other, and were being pulled toward each other by unseen forces. When their two bodies contacted, both began to glow brightly as their two forms melted together. Both felt the other's thoughts, and they began to swirl together into one. Soon neither could feel their bodies, and even their very souls began to merge. In one final flash of white light, the strange fusion process finished, and Akuma awaited the result.

The new fused hedgehog emerged to reality with arms crossed and legs bent in a defensive stance, shielding her eyes from the blinding light of her "birth". After a few moments, the new hedgehog began looking around, getting her bearings. Once she did, she turned her eyes to Akuma.

"Is it just me, or did you get shorter?" she asked.

"No…you're taller now," Akuma replied and pointed to a nearby pool of water. "Take a look at yourself." The new hedgehog did so, and gazed at her new form. Previously, both hedgehogs had been less than three-and-a-half feet tall…their fused form was now a little over five feet tall. She had Tahra's hairstyle, with the addition of two more hanging down, but now the quills were Tahra's purple tipped with Amy's pink, and the bangs, which belonged to Amy, were pink as well, but tipped with dull gold. The rest of her body was Tahra's purple streaked with pink in several places. The shirt had been replaced by Heroic Tahra's armored bra, but the same jeans were there too. There was also a noticeable increase in bust size, which made Akuma drool for a second.

"Well…I assume you're pleased with your looks. But this isn't making you look pretty…uh…what is your name? I assume you've come up with one."

The new hedgehog nodded and spoke in a voice that seemed to be both Amy's and Tahra's at the same time. "Yeah…the name's Amahra, turkey-eyes. And don't you forget it."

Akuma was incensed. "You DARE to insult me like that!" Amahra simply reacted by sticking out her tongue, showing that she had no respect for Akuma. The red hedgehog answered in the only way he knew how…by throwing a punch at her. To his surprise, she caught the attack.

"What now, turkey-eyes?" she taunted. Akuma threw another punch, but that was caught too. With a grin, Amahra tossed the red hedgehog skyward. He stopped himself in mid-air, and was now on the verge of exploding with rage. Never in his days had he been so insulted. To be compared with a game fowl was the greatest insult in his mind.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Akuma roared as he plunged toward his bratty student, both hands crackling with Chaos energy. In his blind rage, he didn't anticipate Amahra's next move: she changed into her Super form and stopped the raging hedgehog's attack with both Labrys and Mjolnir, one in each hand. The weapons absorbed Akuma's attack and discharged the excess energy harmlessly.

"You can't beat me, turkey-eyes…just give up and tell me where Sonic and Shadow are!"

Akuma was aghast. Had he been _too_ successful in training the girls? He didn't have this much of an obedience problem with Sonic and Shadow, but he wondered if the result of their fusion, Shadic, was even more powerful that this one. And Shadic seemed even more egotistical. As this thought occurred to him he heard the voice of said fusion, which was a blend of Sonic's and Shadow's. Amahra looked up to see the fusion of her boyfriends.

Shadic, like Amahra, was a little over five feet tall, and was mostly black, with blue stripes on his quills and around his eyes. A white tuft of fur much like Shadow's was on his chest, and he had Shadow's wind-rider shoes. It was all topped off with Sonic's characteristic grin, and a pose to match. He was also carrying Excalibur in one hand and Masamune in the other.

Amahra flew up to level with the newcomer, and looked him up and down. She seemed to recognize him, and put away her weapons, making them disappear with a thought, as did he.

"Are you…"

"…Yep. I see cherry-locks gave you Fusion Bracers too."

"You call him cherry-locks? I call him turkey-eyes." The two fusions laughed together, while Akuma sat there, fuming over how his own students had the gall to insult him. But as he listened, he remembered the times he had similar conversations with the one he married…Kari…the only female he considered his equal. They had made such jokes about each other…how could he be angry at these youngsters when he himself was guilty of such behavior? His rage calmed when he realized this, and he sat back to think of something he could do to put these two in their place…

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Excellent, my boy," Nazo said as he retracted his personal energy sabers. "We are finished now. You need to rest." The hedgehog prince Haishin lowered his axe and panted heavily. Nazo liked to make him work hard, but he knew he would need all the training he could if he could get his revenge on Tahra…the one thing he could never have…

"_You…want to be my boyfriend? This is so sudden…" the thirteen-year-old purple hedgehog in a light blue skirt exclaimed when she was approached by the prince. _

"_I suppose it is, my lovely…but the loveliest girl in school deserves no less than a prince."_

"_Oh…that's very sweet of you, Haishin…but don't you think we're too young?"_

"_True love has no age limit, Tahra…"_

"_But to me, it does…maybe someday, Haishin…just _not_ now."_

She had turned him down right there. He was prepared to give her anything she wanted. But she rejected in front of everyone. Everyone did their best to consul him, but it seemed that nothing could cheer him up. He refused to see anyone for months, and often disappeared for at least a week. Even after he returned, his personality was darker, angrier and he was more prone to lashing out. He no longer garnered respect and admiration…now he was feared and hated. A mysterious cloaked figure approached him one night, and offered him revenge. Haishin agreed, but before he got the chance to get revenge, Tahra returned to the city when her parents returned from business trips…and then she never returned until the day of the raid.

But he was done reminiscing. He had already crossed a line that he had no regrets crossing…no sympathy for those he had betrayed. In fact, he had barely any heart at all. Unbeknownst to him, the shadow creature, a Heartless, was slowly eating away at his heart and soul. Soon, Haishin would become a Heartless himself.

As Haishin began to walk away, Nazo stopped him. The prince noticed a smile of unusual sincerity…something that he rarely did. It was always a sardonic grin or something like that whenever Nazo smiled.

"You want to ask me something?"

"Call this question silly, but…do you consider me a father figure of sorts?"

"More than mine ever was, I guess. But don't call me son, and I won't call you father."

"Very well then, prince; I'm going to check up on the white bat now. Busy yourself with the girls if you so desire."

-- -- -- -- --

"You're really out of your game, Nack," Vector exclaimed as he pulled in a pile of rings from the stump they were surrounding. He, Nack, Espio, Raiden and Sven were playing cards, and the weasel, who had usually won, was now being clobbered. "I know you're missing Rouge a lot…but don't worry, we'll find her as soon as we find Ziz, we promise." The weasel simply sighed and then stood up.

"I'm going to bed. You keep on playing if you want." Nack slowly walked away, forlorn as he always was these days.

"Just seeing the guy depresses me," Raiden sighed with a shake of his head. "He must have really liked that white bat. But who wouldn't? She's so dang pretty."

"Nack _loves _'er, Raiden, and not simply for her body…" Sven replied. "To have someone ya truly care about suddenly ripped away from ya is a horrible thing. I can vouch fer that, t' be sure. The basis for his feelings is somethin' I can't put my finger on. That weasel's tighter-lipped than a grotto clam. By the way, who's dealing, since Nack is out?"

"I'll do it," Vector said, taking the cards, and commencing to shuffle them. "How about we do blackjack this time? I'm getting tired of poker."

"I don't know how to play," Raiden said, standing up as well. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go and howl at the moon." The others looked at the wolf like he was an idiot. With a nervous grin, Raiden told them that he was just going to go and snooze.

"Blackjack's me favorite!" Sven said gleefully after Raiden had left. "I'll play, Vector."

"I suppose it's no fun with two people," Espio sighed. "I can keep going."

"Blackjack it is, then!" Vector said, and began to deal. "Anyway, I've been overhearing Zeipha talking to the others about so-called Heartless. Are they the shadow creatures we've been fighting? I wonder if that Meteor Parasite is the source of them."

"I doubt we'll ever know. I doubt he'd tell us that," Espio said. He glanced at his cards, and knew that victory was his, but kept a straight face.

"I'll stay," he said. After all the bets had been placed, the chameleon smiled, and flipped his cards.

"Blackjack," he said. Vector's mouth dropped open.

"Lucky son of a gun…" he muttered before yawning. "I'm about ready to call it a night. You're watching, right, Espio?"

"Yes. It's my turn tonight. You two sleep well."

"G'night Espio…" Sven said with a yawn of his own.

-- -- -- -- --

"_Huh?" Mikael wondered as he sat up in a strange, grassy field, still at night. "Where is everybody? Where are all the trees?"_

"_You're asleep, Mikael," said a strange but friendly voice, a voice that seemed like someone inhaled helium. The source was a little more foreboding…a small figure in a black robe. The figure was wearing a hood, but it was topped with two perfectly circular ears that seemed like they were glued onto his head. It was some sort of mouse. His face was shrouded in the shadow of his hood, and he carried a strange sword in one hand…it looked oddly a key._

"_How did you learn my name, mister?" Mikael said. "And what are you doing in my dreams!"_

"_I only came to warn you…the shadowy creatures called Heartless are part of a threat that extends beyond this world."_

"_What's that supposed to mean, mister?" Mikael wondered._

"_I'll explain when you're older, and you obtain a Keyblade."_

"_Where can I find one? Is that a Keyblade you're holding?"_

"_The Keyblade will find you, Mikael. That's all I can tell you right now. Goodbye, and may your heart guide you to happiness." The figure stepped backwards and disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Mikael alone to wonder just who this fellow was, and why he had chosen to approach him._

-- -- -- -- --

**Espio**: You've got Kingdom Hearts on the brain, I see. He doesn't even have the game, or a Playstation 2, for that matter.

**Me**: Can it, Espio. Any self-respecting Kingdom Hearts fan should be able to guess who just visited Tahra's little brother. He'll be returning in the sequel. But the next chapter of this work will feature both the arrival of Ziz AND the return of the four hedgies from Akuma's training chamber!

**Akuma**: Turkey eyes, huh? YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT!

**Me**: Eep! (Runs away)


	53. Chapter 53: Hunting Evil

**Chapter Fifty-Three**

**Me**: We're on the final stretch…I'm quite sure that there will be no more than seventeen chapters (not including the epilogue) before the story is finished…then I'll start on the sequel.

**Tahra**: How about some dirt on the sequel? What will it be about?

**Me**: When I'm finished, the epilogue to this story will give some setup to lead into it.

**Sonic**: Oh boy! I can't wait to see what threats we'll get to crush.

**Me**: Oh no…it won't be you. Let's just leave it at that. Oh, and yay for 200 reviews!

-- -- -- -- --

"That…is one…huge…bird!" Charmy and Mikael exclaimed simultaneously when they saw Ziz gliding toward the group. The group was atop a high mountain overlooking Westopolis, and the bird, for reasons unknown, was nesting just outside the city limits. The great bird, resembling an eagle with a crane's head, was a beauty to behold…its body was colored like a rainbow, and a glittering rainbow trail seemed to follow it wherever it went. It screeched as it winged over the group, and everyone had to cover their ears from the noise. The bird circled them, and began to speak telepathically with Zeipha.

_"You have called me here, hawk, and I shall lend my aid to you and your cause. I sense that the other three have been awakened as well; therefore we can combine our powers to assail the gates of the Meteor Parasite's realm. The four heroes have nearly finished their training…and now the time has come to take the fight to the enemy's turf. Be strong, all of you, and return to the ruined jewel of the hedgehog realm, where the four shall appear."_

With that, Ziz started away. A great feeling of relief swept over the group. They had spent almost a year searching for these three beasts, and now it was over. But now the question was about how they would get back. Armeil said he couldn't warp everyone back to Sylvania, even with Naylet's help. After a moment of thought, Zeipha got an idea. Silently she called back to Ziz, who had just went over the horizon. The immense bird returned, and again circled the group.

_"Is there something more I can do, hawk?"_

_"Yes…we are far from where we need to go, and have no means of getting there fast. Can you take us to Sylvania on your back? Surely a bird of your great size should have no trouble carrying us, even on the wing."_

_"I suppose it wouldn't hurt. But I cannot bring you in sight of the city. Geddon's forces will spot me, and surely they have the means to destroy me. Please pardon my self-preserving intents."_

_"I'd do the same thing if I was in your situation."_

Ziz flew off a good distance, and landed befor striding across the landscape, and stopped right next to the group. It could now be seen that its eye color was slowly shifting between the colors of the rainbow.

"_Everyone should get cozy in my feathers. It will take me at least an hour or two until we reach your destination."_

Everyone began to hop onto the bird's back, and immediately noticed that they did not slip into its plumage. Rather, it formed into soft, comfortable indentations. Mikael immediately snuggled up next to Vahtri, and was asleep soon after Ziz took off. The others sit back and watched the world pass below them. The sun was beginning to set, and it seemed that a bit of the sinister darkness that was hanging above them had dispersed.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"The year is almost up, students," Akuma said to the four hedgehogs on the final day of their training. "I have watched each of you grow in overall power exponentially. You have, in this time, mastered techniques that most warriors spend lifetimes perfecting…you have exceeded your predecessors vastly, and have even given _me _a few scares."

"Uh, thanks?" Shadow said hesitantly.

"Now a new task is at hand for you…the time has come to use the skills you have learned, and use them to utterly crush the demons that hold the world in their fiendish clutches, and then defeat the one who cursed me and his depraved master."

"It's about time…" Sonic said, shaking a fist eagerly. "I have a score to settle with a certain mad scientist…I guess you can handle the pervert angel…right, Tahra?"

"Yeah…they'll all pay for what they've done."

A few moments later, the white doorway that had been sealed a year earlier opened up, and eagerly the four passed through the doorway, and reappeared in the same room where they had descended to the Sacred Arms chamber the year before. Akuma followed them, much to their surprise, but their attention was soon turned to a fetid stench. Tahra uneasily poked her head into the next room, and was horrified by the sight of the skeleton of her grandmother, still clothed, but was covered in dust and mold, and still reeking of death. Her hair had grown more since she had died, since it continues for several days after the body passes away.

"Depressing…" Shadow mumbled, turning away from the corpse. Sonic just stood there staring, jaw hanging open and head shaking. Amy cringed at the sight of this, and Tahra was at the edge of tears, but kept them down. Quickly she ran past the skeleton of her grandmother and burst out the crumbling house…right into the middle of a city of steel and smoke…Eggman's city. Knowing that she could be seen, she retreated into the house.

"Guys…getting out of Sylvania is going to be harder than before…I think the mad doctor has been busy. I don't want to run into any robots now."

"I'd say now would be a good time to use Chaos Control." Shadow suggested. Tahra realized the simplicity of the solution, and jabbed herself on the head with her index finger a few times. Akuma found this amusing.

"I'll let you four go," Akuma said. "As for me, I'll do you one more favor…as to what it is, I'll keep secret. You'll know what it is when it happens."

"Thanks, but now we gotta find our friends. We haven't seen them in a while! Let's go, guys!" The four hedgehogs got in a circle and linked hands.

"Chaos…Control!"

-- -- -- -- -- --

The four hedgehogs reappeared on the ridge where they first beheld the city. Just as they did, Shadow noticed the great rainbow bird passing overhead. It began to circle them, slowly descending as it did. They started to hear the joyful cries of their friends calling from atop the bird.

"That must be them…and that's gotta be Ziz…" Amy commented. "I've never seen a bird quite so big…or so pretty." Ziz soon came to a stop near them, and there was an exchange of greetings, including a loving hug between Tahra and Mikael, in addition to snippets of plan discussion, while Ziz took off back to its nest to wait for the appointed time.

Something did not go unnoticed by the four hedgehogs…Rouge was not with the others.

"What happened to Rouge, guys?" Shadow asked with concern.

"She got kidnapped by some blue hedgehog in black carrying a big axe," Vector replied. "He KO'd all six of the ex-Seraphim in one shot. Nack's been a mess ever since. Don't bother talking to him."

Tahra suddenly seemed to piece together the image of the one who had kidnapped Rouge. There was one final detail she was missing.

"Vector…did that axe have the picture of a hedgehog's head on it?"

"I think so…"

"Haishin...I had a feeling in my gut that he would turn to the path of evil. In the language of the ancient peoples, his name translates to 'betrayal'. It's probably me he wants."

"Was he an old boyfriend or something?" Sonic asked with a bit of jealousy in his tone.

"We came close, but I felt I was too young. Apparently he hates me for turning him down. When I said he was an okay guy…it was before that happened. Now I can only guess we'll have to fight each other in the near future."

"If it comes to that, so be it," Naylet said. "You said that you were going after those four creeps that are sucking this world dry, right?"

"Yeah…that includes Doctor Eggman," Sonic replied with a nod. "I have a score with him I've been meaning to settle for years now…"

"Hey, Sonic, let Tails and I tag along with you, for old times' sake," Knuckles suggested. "Even if you're super-powerful and all, you don't know what ol' Egghead can throw at us." Sonic nodded.

"Then that must mean you're going after the dark part of me, Tahra. I'll go with you. I know his every weakness, and you'd be better off with me than without. Nack…I'm sure that pervert Leawdak knows where Rouge is…how about you come with us?"

"I'm game!" Nack replied.

"I'll go alone against Ragozine," Amy said as she started to leave. "I don't want to put anyone in danger."

"As do I…" Shadow said. "I wish every one of you the best of luck…I guess. Goodbye all…sorry we had to leave so soon." The four hedgehogs, two with allies in tow, took off toward their respective destinations. The final stage of this epic adventure had begun, and there was no telling what dark things awaited them.

-- -- -- -- -- --

**Me**: Let me take a moment to interrupt to give you the lowdown on the next few chapters. There will be some sections that will be intentionally cut, especially parts of Tahra's trip through Leawdak's lair, since it will detail M-rated (or even 18+) things. I'll post them on my Deviant Art account if I decide to write them at all. For now, our focus turned to Shadow…

**Shadow**: All right! Time to take on Black Doom!

-- -- -- -- --

_Space Colony ARK_, Shadow said to himself as he slowly began to walk through the chamber where he warped in. He saw the tube where Maria had jettisoned him over fifty years ago. He expected a flashback…but nothing. His mind was clear and resolute.

As he entered the hallway, the sound of grunting and footsteps became apparent. He summoned Masamune to his hand, and readied himself for combat. Two Black Arms grunts noticed him and immediately opened fire. Shadow rapidly deflected their shots with his sword, his arm swinging it at high speeds. Meanwhile, he advanced on the two aliens and cut them in half with one fast horizontal slash. The stench of their organs annoyed Shadow, but he kept moving.

Around the next corner came four more, three bat-like Black Arms and a large one. Shadow launched a few Chaos Spears to destroy the smaller ones before dicing the large one into cubes. Before he could even catch his breath, more were after him.

_I can't keep fighting them in these cramped passages…I need to find a larger chamber._

Shadow quickly began using short-range Chaos Controls to avoid enemy fire, and soon lost them. In his haste Shadow found a large metal door he had seen before, but only once…another flashback came to him.

"_Doctor, what's behind this door?" Shadow asked innocently as he followed Dr. Gerald and Dr. Ullundara down the hall. He was fully grown, but his mind was still like that of a child, curious about everything, and always asking questions._

_"I'm sorry, Shadow…" Ullundara answered, "But you aren't allowed to see the room inside. When the time comes, you will see. For now, we can't let you see what's inside." With that, the door opened to reveal another, and closed behind them. With a sigh, Shadow started to walk away. He was in the mood to play with Maria anyway…_

Shadow clenched his grip around Masamune. It was time to see what final secret the staff of the ARK had kept secret from him. With a few quick slashes, Shadow cut the six-inch-thick steel door to pieces, and did the same to the other door. He walked into the room, and flicked on a light switch. The lights flickered to life and began to hum as they glowed, and the sound of bubbling came from two tubes. Shadow noticed nine tubes, seven of them on the circular wall of the room. The tube facing Shadow was empty. But the last tube was the mystery. He walked around, and took a look at the tube. His heart literally stopped short, then started racing as he stumbled back toward the wall in horror.

Floating in the tube was a pink hedgehog that looked distressingly similar to Amy. The only difference was that her hair was far longer, and the fur was a darker shade than that of his beloved. But it was enough to make Shadow ask himself a dire question: was the Amy he deeply cared about…was she a clone of this lifeless hedgehog? He refused to believe it…Amy was naturally born, he was sure of it. Even if she was a clone,Amy was stillher own person. Besides, thishedgehog was never alive. It was just alump of flesh that looked like his girlfriend.This realization calmed Shadow down, but soon he was interrupted by a familiar laugh.

"I see you found the off-limits area, Shadow…"

"Black Doom…you decided to face me, instead of hiding behind your minions. I'm surprised." The demonic alien ignored this snide comment, and continued to see if he could demoralize Shadow.

"What do you think about the one you care about being nothing but a clone? This chamber was where Maria would have sacrificed her humanity to save her own life…in the body of the hedgehog in that pod. The power of the Chaos Emeralds could have saved her, you know."

Shadow chuckled. "Maria doesn't matter now. She is gone from my mind, as will you!" He readied Masamune and rushed at Black Doom. The alien prepared to counterattack, but Shadow dodged at the last second and delivered a powerful slash to his enemy's flank. Black Doom moaned in pain, and warped away.

"Don't think you can escape me, Black Doom," Shadow roared to no one. "I will hunt you through this entire space station, and when I catch you, I'll make you PAY!" The black hedgehog went Super and began his hunt for the Black Arms leader…

-- -- -- -- --

**Shadow**: It's on like Donkey Kong!

**Me**: I'm so excited! I can't wait to see how you'll beat him…oh, wait…I decide how.

**Shadow**: Make it exciting, and make it so Black Doom gets destroyed utterly!

**Me**: Can do, Shads…can do!


	54. Chapter 54: Black Doom's Doom

**Chapter Fifty-Four**

**Me**: Shadow versus Black Doom! The grudge match of the century is on!

**Amy: **Go Shadow, go Shadow! (dances)

**Me**: No more words! Let us begin!

**-- -- -- -- --**

Shadow stood over a heap of Black Arms soldiers that he had slain in another large chamber. In his Super form, they were powerless to stop him, for he did not even have to block their shots. Only Black Doom had any hope of harming him right now. Thanks to his training, he had no trouble maintaining this state at all. He quickly saw another batch stride forward…but these were different. They seemed more shadowy and ethereal…they were Heartless Black Arms. A large one ran forward and swung at Shadow with a giant sword. The hedgehog barely managed to dodge it, but was cut slightly, but not enough to do any real damage.

Still, this made Shadow more cautious. He didn't know that they were Heartless, but he defeated it just as easily as the normal ones. Several bat-like ones glided forward, and were dispatched with a few homing attacks. While in midair, Shadow launched a few Chaos Spears at the remaining group. The rain of energy roasted the Heartless right where they stood. After he landed, Shadow called out again.

"STOP HIDING FROM ME, YOU CREEP! FACE ME HERE, ONE-ON-ONE!" The sound of his cry rang through the halls of the ARK. After a few moments, Shadow got his answer…Black Doom appeared on the upper balcony of the chamber, hovering there as always.

"I agree…I am growing tired of this game of cat-and-mouse."

"…Then you'll fight me?" Shadow asked sardonically.

"We have delayed the inevitable for far too long, Shadow," Black Doom replied as he wreathed his hands in dark purple flames. "The time has come for our fated battle!"

Shadow started the fight in a way Black Doom did not expect: instead of rushing at him headlong with Masamune, the black hedgehog bounded onto the metal balcony behind him and across from Black Doom. As he did, he shot off a barrage of Chaos Spears at his enemy.

The alien warped off the platform and onto the floor below and countered this with a move Shadow was very familiar with: a purple spinning disk that homed in on him slightly. The disk buzzed in Shadow's direction, but he easily vaulted it with a graceful somersault. As he came down, he went straight into a homing attack, delivering a powerful blow to Black Doom's head, sending him reeling. With this opening, Shadow began to repeatedly slash at his hated enemy, all while hovering in mid-air, and finished his combination attack with an aerial dash attack.

Despite all this, Black Doom was far from finished, but was still quite damaged. As Shadow landed, the alien shot several small meteors out of his hand, smacking the hedgehog in the back then quickly surrounded him with illusory clones, all preparing to attack again. In reality, Black Doom slipped out of the chamber. This did not go unnoticed by Shadow, and he quickly eliminated the illusions with a Chaos Blast and continued to pursue Black Doom, enraged once more that he had to chase his enemy.

Shadow was far faster than his enemy, and overtook him soon enough as Black Doom was headed to the outside of the space station, in the massive air bubble. Shadow attacked the alien with a kick that smashed the door down. Black Doom skidded along the walkway and tried to get up, but Shadow stopped him and stood on top of the alien.

With brutal efficiency, Shadow set about disabling the fiend. With more than a twinge of sadistic glee he commenced to slit Black Doom's arms down the middle and chop off his horns. The alien's roars of pain made Shadow's heart swell. He knew that every moment of his enemy's suffering was justice to those whom Shadow cared for. When his thirst for vengeance seemed sated, Shadow gave Black Doom a few last words…

"So this is how it all ends…you lying on the ground, helpless as the innocents whose lives you carelessly took…destroyed by the being you believed would help you achieve your twisted goals. I've enjoyed thrashing you, but now it's time for us to part…permanently. When I thrust this sword through your head, I put my past behind me for good! GOODBYE, BLACK DOOM!"

Shadow grasped Masamune with two hands, raised it high, and as he yelled that final sentence, he drove the katana deep into Black Doom's eye. The strike was so forceful that it also punctured a hole in the walkway as it passed through his head. The alien's body quivered and then went limp.

"…And stay dead…" Shadow mumbled as he withdrew the sword and wiped the purple blood off the sword using Black Doom's robes. As he started to walk away thinking he was successful, he heard a gurgling noise coming from behind him. He whirled around to see Black Doom hovering there. His body was leaking blood, and it seemed like his body was hemorrhaging. Shadow watched as Black Doom made the dread transformation into the twisted insectoid version of Devil Doom.

"THIS…ISN'T…OVER…" Black Doom roared as he swiped at Shadow, knocking him off the walkway. Shadow quickly stopped himself in midair and readied Masamune again. The Heartless alien summoned a large swarm of tiny meteors, and launched them at the hedgehog. He quickly sliced them all apart, but this was only a distraction for Black Doom's real attack: a ferocious claw attack that left a flaming purple trail, which sent his adversary spiraling downward. Shadow again stopped himself. In this moment of respite, he wiped off the blood that dripped down his jaw due to the attack.

_Heh…now things are getting interesting, _Shadow said to himself. _Now I can show him some of my new tricks. _His mind sifted through possible attacks to throw at Black Doom at lightning speed, and then he hit upon one. He warped onto a railing behind Black Doom, bounded off of it and started rolling, but held Masamune out so it spun with him, acting like a spinning buzz saw. The creature had no chance to react, and was repeatedly slashed in the back. Shadow stopped spinning, and followed up by grabbing the alien's serpentine tail, and swinging him around like an Olympic hammer thrower, then tossing him into a nearby wall, creating a large cloud of dust. As Shadow paused to see the damage he'd done, Black Doom pulled an ace out of his sleeve…seemingly out of nowhere, hundreds of bat-like Black Arms, and began to swarm Shadow. The ones closest to the center began gnawing away at him, trying to reach his heart. The hedgehog couldn't move much.

Suddenly, he felt something crack in the rear of his mind…a barrier was falling away, and an energy yet untapped was there waiting to be taken hold. He took a hold of this new energy, and he felt power unlike anything he had ever felt before. It soon came apparent what this was: it was the pure and unshackled energy from the Chaos Emeralds. It was time to show Black Doom the ultimate power of Chaos.

This power began to pour out of the black hedgehog's body, and it was a Chaos Blast unlike anything he was ever able to perform before. When he had cleared off the Black Arms, the nature of his newest level of power was apparent. His fur was flashing brightly in different colors, and his quills were standing up even higher than before. It was Shadow's Hyper form.

"WHAT'S THIS…ANOTHER LEVEL? HA!" Black Doom did not realize just what he was up against. That soon became apparent when Shadow warped in front of him.

"OH, I'M SUPPOSED TO BE SCARED OR SOMETHING?" the monster taunted.

Shadow smirked. "Maybe you'd be more scared if you knew that the Master Emerald just broke." This got Black Doom scared…he knew all too well that the Master Emerald was the one thing that kept the powers of the four heroes in check. With it destroyed, there seemed to be no limit to how strong they could get. But before he could react, Shadow grabbed Black Doom by a horn and tossed him down toward the planet, outside of the air bubble and into the vacuum of space. The lack of air was the least of his worries, as Shadow warped close to him, and after speeding himself up with Chaos Control, he unleashed a veritable blizzard of slashes, and finishing off by cutting the creature in two. But he wasn't done. Shadow used his immense power to divide himself into four, three of them semi-real. All four Shadows charged up some sort of beam move, whose name was the last thing Black Doom would ever hear…

"Chaos…FLARE!" The four beams smashed into Black Doom and utterly incinerated him, but passed across Shadow without harm. When this amazing attack was over, there were no visible particles left of the fiend…the attack had broken him down to his very atoms.

_Victory at long last, _Shadow said to himself, warping back to the walkway where the second round had begun. As he did, he suddenly collapsed from fatigue…he felt like so much of his life had been pulled out of him. And then he sneezed...and Shadow realized that he was getting a cold…and that meant he was no longer immune to disease. Still, this was something entirely new, and he viewed the experience with as much wonder as discomfort.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Akuma smiled as he surveyed the damage he had done. The Master Emerald, Nazo's tool of maintaining control over the power of the Chaos Emeralds, had been shattered by Akuma's own two hands, and he had also gotten to lay a good beating on a small army of angels. Nazo was nowhere to be found, but he didn't care. His mission was complete, and soon after he had smashed the Master Emerald, he felt four massive rises in power on different parts of the planet, and knew what had happened. His four students were victorious in their battles.

_My work here in this world is done…now I can be with you again, my beloved Kari…_

Akuma began to fade out of existence and be pulled into the spirit world…Nazo's curse was lifting. He could already feel the touch of his ancient love, and finally he melted away from the material world, his heart filled with gladness…

-- -- -- -- -- --

Amy stepped out of the forest and gazed at the looming mountain fortress in the distance. In the past year, Ragozine had built a new castle atop another mountain. Being the egomaniac that he was, he had his gruesome half-dragon face carved into the mountain, with that evil grin on it…the grin that haunted her for so long. She remembered scribbling his name on paper in moments of drowsiness…she remembered him controlling her body…she remembered losing her mind thanks to him.

But in the end, wasn't it he who allowed to experience these amazing levels of ability? He had given Doctor Ullundara the key ingredient…dragon's blood. But it didn't matter. The dracomancer was going to be destroyed by the very being that would have been his most powerful servant.

Amy shifted to her Heroic form, hefted Mjolnir and took off toward the mountain, ready for anything that could be thrown at her. To her surprise, the giant mouth of the dragon started to open with no enemies coming out…it was if Ragozine wanted her to come. It had to be a trap, but then again, she had no other choice. She flew into the stone dragon's maw, prepared to face her greatest trial yet…

-- -- -- -- -- --

**Me**: (Gasp) 1.5 pages of nothing but fighting! Phew!

**Shadow**: Great…now I have a cold. (Sniffles)

**Sonic**: It's just a cold…besides, you just owned Black Doom as much as physically possible!

**Me**: Next chapter…a surprising encounter, then Amy vs. Ragozine! Stay tuned!


	55. Chapter 55: The End of a Dracomancer

**Chapter Fifty-Five**

**Me**: All right! Black Doom's been atom-smashed, and it's now Amy's turn to open a can of whoop-ass on Ragozine! But a surprise is in store for her, when an old friend makes a startling return…

**Amy**: I wonder who it could be…

**Me**: You'll see soon enough.

-- -- -- -- --

_Geez, I can't see a thing_, Amy thought. _And I thought I was supposed to have night vision or something. _As she gazed into the darkness, a feeling of dread came over her…a feeling that Ragozine was closer than she thought. She quickly shot a spark of fire into the air, which lit up the area enough for her to find some sort of light switch. She did so, and continued through the chamber, watching for any sort of trap. But there was nothing…nothing but bare stone walls.

As she continued through the eerie fortress, Amy started to hear grunting and growling coming from down another hall. It had to be dragons. She followed the sound, stopping at every intersection to ensure that she was headed in the right direction. Eventually she came to something that made her stomach turn…a massive arcane facility with all sorts of chemicals and equipment. But what sickened her was that there were five or six large dragons chained to the ground with various tubes stuck in them. It was obvious that they were in pain, and Amy knew that something had to be done.

She began by smashing some of the machines that were attached to the dragons, then removing the tubes from the massive winged creatures, doing the latter while trying to keep them calm. Just as Amy finished her work, she heard the screeches of smaller dragons coming from where she came, and when she whirled around to face them, her stomach turned again…before her were a bevy of individuals of vary races, but all had one thing in common…they had been transformed into half-draconic freaks. It was obviously Ragozine's twisted work. As she peered closer, they seemed to be shadowy…though she did not know it, these freaks had lost their hearts, becoming twisted shadow creatures. They leapt at her on the wing and attempted to claw at her. But before she could react, a blast of flame passed over her head, taking out the ones closest to her. The dragons she had just saved her were apparently returning the favor. One of them spoke to her in her mind.

"_Go, my queen; seek out the one who made these freaks and make him pay! They lack hearts and souls, so they cannot think for themselves, even if they wanted to. We shall hold off his minions."_

Amy quickly took wing and fly over the swarm of half-dragons, who started to chase her. As she flew, she began tossed Chaos Spears at them every so often, her heart growing angrier at Ragozine for every half-dragon she had to kill. As she rounded a corner, a black dragon caught her by surprise and nearly swallowed her whole. Thankfully, Amy was able to stop on a dime in her current form, and started off in another direction. She had to pass through the swarm at one point, and was attacked by one half-dragon, once a hedgehog. She tossed the monstrosity off of her and kept going.

-- -- -- -- --

After about fifteen minutes of being chased, Amy came upon another large chamber. The door sealed behind her, which proved to be a relief when she heard the half-dragons and a worry to her. After catching her breath, she became aware of organ music playing loudly in the room. She glanced to see the enemy she sought just across the room, playing the massive instrument. He stopped playing and turned around in his seat.

"The organ has such a haunting tune, don't you think, Amy Rose?"

"Can the small talk and face me, you monster!" Amy retorted, readying the mighty hammer that was keyed to Ragozine's life force. The dracomancer chuckled in his usual manner.

"Oh, you're always so direct. Just like your father. You have his short temper as well."

"I'd say that's justifiable, considering that you're turning innocent people into half-dragon freaks! It's not only hurting them, but the dragons too! You're going to pay for it here and now!" Amy performed a flying dash attack at her enemy, but he dodged it easily. Mjolnir smashed the organ, as it let out one last foul note before it died.

Ragozine was annoyed. "Do you know what I had to go through to get that organ! Now you've made me willing to fight you…but before we do…there's two people who wish to spend time with you." Ragozine retreated into the rafters. A large hatch in the ceiling opened, and a dragon at least the size of Alneetha, with an oddly familiar purple coloration and with six eyes, came down a few seconds later. The massive dragon roared when it landed, hungry for its meal, but its roar sounded like a single word…

_Froggy_…that was what it sounded like. Amy immediately knew who the dragon was: Big the Cat…the lovable fellow who just wanted to spend his days fishing. That fiend had taken poor innocent Big and turned him into…this. For a moment she didn't want to fight him, but her mind was soon changed when the dragon lunged at her with a bite, which Amy sidestepped, just barely. Instinctively she struck back with Mjolnir, delivering an upward swing that sent the head of the dragon skyward, and she heard its spine crick a little.

The beast quickly retorted with a strange sort of breath attack…instead of flames, it was a cloud of poisonous darkness that tried to seep into Amy's lungs. She could do nothing but try to escape the cloud while forcing any that had entered her lungs out of them. She couldn't even maintain her Heroic form or hold on to Mjolnir, so potent was this gaseous darkness. This allowed Big to smash her with a tail swipe attack that sent her careening into the wall. Without the defenses of her more powerful forms, this attack was severely damaging to her, and she couldn't move after that attack.

Ragozine, who was watching all this, laughed and clapped with savage joy. He didn't think that the easygoing cat would prove to be such a formidable minion. Then again, he did make him a Heartless as well…he found that removing the heart not only disposed of the soul, but caused a massive increase in overall fighting ability.

Big closed in on his prey, and grinned, showing that his mouth was full of teeth the size of bananas. Amy watched, seemingly helpless, as the dragon readied to devour her whole. Her mind raced for something she could do to protect herself. Thankfully, she did remember one trick that required only required a thought.

As Big lunged at her, Amy concentrated as hard as she could. Big's open jaws stopped on a field of light pink Chaos energy, and got a nasty shock. With a sigh of relief, she struggled to stand up, and managed to call the sacred hammer to her hand. Meanwhile, Ragozine was beside himself with anger. He was jumping up and down, ranting and cursing at the dragon that stood there wondering why it couldn't get to its meal. Every time he tried to bit her, he got shocked. Finally, Ragozine had had enough.

"Stupid dragon…he doesn't know when he's done…I knew I should have found a more intelligent specimen…" The dracomancer dove off the platform, formed a red beam sword from one hand, and used it, again to Amy's horror, to drive it straight through Big's head. The dragon screamed in pain, then burst in a cloud of dust.

"Hmph…it seems like I have to do _everything _myself," Ragozine sighed as he brushed a little of the black dust off of his cape. Tears were flowing like rivers from Amy's eyes, so great was her distraught and anger at this fiend. Her entire body was quaking as she stood there, while every major memory of her life was playing in her head, sometimes going at ten times the normal speed, sometimes blurring together, other times with sound distortions. As suddenly as it started, another memory started playing…one that was in the innermost part of her memory…

"_Where's the girl? Where's Amy!" the hooded figure growled, as Amy's mother…no, her foster mother was suddenly forced out of the way. Amy was only six then and she was fearful of this newcomer. She tried to flee from him, but the figure found her, grabbed her and started looking her over._

"_Bah! Nothing! Those morons in the lab…they said I'd have results in six years! Must I do EVERYTHING myself?"_

"_Let my sister go!" a voice came from behind them. It was Yakujo, who was unsteadily aiming his father's gun, with both hands, at the figure's head. He was sixteen, but looked somewhat immature for his age. The figure turned to face the boy, and chuckled._

"_Oh, and what do you plan to do? You can barely aim that thing right."_

"_This…"_

_Yakujo commenced to fire six rounds into the figure's head. The hood came off as he roared in pain…it was a dark grey hedgehog._

"_YOU…INSOLENT BRAT…you'll pay for your foolish actions!" the hedgehog roared as he struck Yakujo, knocking him out cold. Amy was now shrieking in terror, less at the fact that Yakujo actually fired her father's gun that at the fact that six shots to the face didn't kill him._

"_As for you, Amy…we'll meet again…" he grabbed Amy's head, at which point she had a burning sensation on that very spot. Amy saw disturbing images in her mind at the moment, and was in a state of shock as the hedgehog rushed out, his face still bleeding...and yet he was cackling victoriously…_

That maddening cackle had haunted her nightmares for so long…she just had to shut him up. It was Ragozine who had visited her that stormy night…it was Ragozine who survived six bullets to his face…it was all Ragozine. The very sound of his name now seemed obscene to her. It was time to snuff him out.

Though Amy could have obtained her Hyper form then, something else broke open inside of her…as if she was like a baby dragon hatching from an egg. The pink field of energy was suddenly engulfed in light, then shattered and with a shriek of rage, Amy transformed again.

At first she had gotten back her Heroic form, but the helmet just couldn't contain her wildly growing hair, and shattered like glass. It stopped at her waist and was much thicker too, and was the same golden color of the Super form, as was the rest of her fur. Her claws had reverted to normal hands, but now her hedgehog tail had changed into a powerful scaly dragon's tail. She also seemed to gain a few inches in height as well, and her wingspan was now three times her newly adjusted height. Like Sonic did when he defeated his father, Amy had ascended to a level which blended her Super and Heroic forms into one deadly whole.

Ragozine staggered backwards in terror when he beheld this form, for it was the form that the individual who imprisoned him thousands of years ago…but exponentially more powerful. He had one chance to stop her. He tried to assume his half-dragon form, but Amy was too fast for him. She grabbed his face, grabbed the scaly mask that always covered him, and pulled it off of his face. Sure enough, the scars from that incident were still there. His face was also scarred in other ways too. The look of quiet dignity had left the dracomancer's face, and all that was there was terror…no anger, no rage…just pure fear…and Amy savored every moment of it. But now the time had come to eliminate him utterly.

Her revenge began by smashing the dracomancer with a move that ultimately set up this transformation…she smashed the fiend with her tail, sending him crashing into a column on the rim of the room. Amy followed up with a flying dash, smashing him in the chest with Mjolnir, shattering his bone chest plate and cracking some of his ribs.

Ragozine, in a rage, forced her away, and did manage to change into his demonic dragon form. Amy wasn't intimidated in the least, but decided to have a little fun. She called forth not one, but TWO Chaos Edges to her hands. One of them transferred its energy to Mjolnir, making it even more powerful. During their time training with Akuma, all four hedgehogs learned to not only call forth the blades of pure Chaos energy, but to call two at once and wield them effectively.

"Face it, ugly…I have you beat," Amy taunted. She knew that this demon was no longer a match for her, and she decided to finish him off. Quickly she used Chaos Control to speed herself up. Ragozine was too slow to use Chaos Turn to negate it, and found himself subject to a storm of slashes and hammer blows, which quickly drained his strength, and before long he was on the ground, bruised and bleeding profusely and gasping for breath. After this assault, Amy took the air, out of the place where Big had come in, to initiate her final attack.

"Is this anyway to treat the one who gave you this power!" Ragozine wheezed. "I made you!"

Amy shook her head. "No, you idiot…you did not make me. I did. But I would trade all this power I have flowing through me for a peaceful life with my friends and family. If you expected me to spare you after that pathetic speech, you have another thing coming. It's time I got you out of my life!"

_May I join you? _Alneetha's voice said suddenly in her mind. _I'm simply a thought away._

_Sure thing, _Amy replied._ Besides, I don't think you need to guide me any more._

Amy raised her hands, and the great Dragon Queen faded into existence beside her.

"Say goodbye, you murderer…IT'S OVER!" Amy cried. Simultaneously, the two charged up some sort of amazing breath attack. The night sky glowed as bright as day when their two blasts went off: both were massive beams of pure, unfettered Chaos energy. This attack would not have been possible without the destruction of the Master Emerald, which Amy had felt happen when she transformed.

The attack spread through the room, but damaged only the fiendish dracomancer, who was utterly consumed in the blast, reduced to atoms, just like Black Doom. The fortress remained intact, although the Heartless half-dragons started dying off.

After that massive attack, Amy landed and shifted back to her normal form.

"I-I did it…he's gone…gone for good."

"You did splendid. Your mother and half-brother are very proud of you."

"What do you mean _are_? You mean they're alive? I was told by my friends that I ate them…"

"No…when your evil dragon form tried to eat them, you did now swallow them. Rather, you kept them under your tongue, and spit them out at a later time. Your friends did not see that. Meanwhile, my servants have been sending messengers to them to report your travels. They want to see you again."

Amy was now twice elated. Not only had she defeated her greatest enemy, but her mother seemed to actually want to see her again. Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks, and she hugged the great dragon's front leg.

"Oh thank you so much, Alneetha!"

The great dragon tenderly stroked Amy's hair with her other claw.

-- -- -- -- --

**Me**: Yes, folks.Kiran and Amy' momare alive. Family reunions will happen at the end.

**Amy**: Yay! That form is so cool! Eat THAT, Shadow! (does the "I have a cooler form than you" dance)

**Shadow**: (look of jealousy) Stupid Super Saiyan 3 ripoff...

**Tahra: **Am I up next?

**Me**: Yeppers.

**Tahra**: Glee!


	56. Chapter 56: One Less Angel

**Chapter Fifty-Six**

**Me**: Before Tahra gets her turn, there's one last detail I intended to add to Chapter 55. I don't feel like changing the actual chapter, so I'll put it here.

**Tahra**: What detail could be so important as to keep me from getting my shot at that pervert angel? Start talking, author boy!

**Me**: Oh, pipe down, Goth girl.

**Tahra**: It's PERKY GOTH, YOU IDIOT!

**Me**: (pwned)

**-- -- -- -- --**

With Ragozine gone, Amy could free all the dragons imprisoned in the fortress without fear of attack, and did so after Alneetha flew off into the night. Each one gratefully thanked her before taking leave, sometimes with a bow of the head or a short telepathic message. It did Amy's heart even more good to know that these beasts would finally be able to live their own way without fear of mind control.

As Amy searched around for more dragons to free, she stumbled upon what seemed to be Ragozine's study. She figured that since he was as dead as physically possible, she could loot the place of anything that struck her fancy. But it was only full of sinister books and notes from his experiments, detailing gruesome things that the girl was not willing to read in detail. As she sifted around for anything she might actually want, she heard something made of glass shatter in a nearby room. Figuring it was nothing, she continued looking.

She did find one item worth keeping…it was a notebook, not the scrolls of parchment Ragozine used…and the handwriting was different. She soon realized who it was: it was one of the journals of Geoffrey Ullundara, monitoring the progress of her early days…the heading "Project Minerva" was a dead giveaway. She read about all the daily tests she went through. She was relieved to know that never once did the scientist consider her an object…he always called her Amy, never as "the specimen", or "Project Minerva". She was awed by all the things that happened during his day.

As Amy read on, she suddenly started to hear the sound of a frog in the hallway. Her curiosity finally got the better of her, and after dog-earring the page she was on, she went to investigate the frog sounds. Sure enough, there was a large frog about the size of her hand hopping down the hallway…it was Froggy, Big's companion. She could only imagine what Ragozine was using Froggy for. The amphibian seemed to recognize Amy, as it made no attempt to flee from her when she approached it. In fact, as she bent down to pick up the frog, it hopped onto her head. She wondered why the amphibian had decided to stick with her.

_Maybe Big wanted it this way_, Amy said to herself. With Froggy and the doctor's notebook, she finally took leave of the sinister fortress, and never planned to return.

-- -- -- -- --

"That's it…I've never looking at hentai websites EVER AGAIN," Nack said as he, Tahra and Armeil reached the nineteenth floor in Leawdak's tower. They had seen things, many of them too wild and perverted to be written here, and all three were either disturbed greatly or sickened to their stomachs. But that soon became secondary when Tahra noticed a figure standing just outside of the light hanging the center of the room. The figure was wielding a huge axe, bigger than Labrys. When the figure strode into the light, all three of them recognized the figure…it was Haishin.

"I've been waiting here for quite some time now…Leawdak said you were in his tower. Did you like what he's done?"

"Like it?" Tahra answered indignantly, "He's turning the bodies of innocent girls into…ergh, just thinking about it makes me sick. But there's a more important question…"

Nack asked the very question Tahra was about to, pointing one of the Law Givers at the evil prince, "Where's Rouge!" The prince chuckled, and then started laughing. Apparently he though whatever was happening to the bat was downright hilarious. In fact, he started cackling wildly. Immediately, Tahra's phobia surged up, making her knees buckle, and she dropped to the ground, covering her ears to stop out the sound.

"Oh…sorry about that, sweetie," Haishin said sardonically. "I didn't know maniacal laughter had that much effect on you…wait…I did!" Tahra stood up again and readied Labrys for battle. Nack was about to start forward, but Armeil stopped him by blocking him with an arm.

"This is her battle to fight," he said as he nudged Nack to the stairwell. "We should only intervene if she needs it."

"What happened to the Haishin I used to know?" Tahra said as she stood there, waiting for Haishin to make the first move. He did, and instead answered her question as their two mighty weapons clashed.

"The old Haishin died on the day you rejected me…the day you tore my heart out and smashed it with your words!" It was in that moment of rage that the last bit of Haishin's heart was devoured through the pendant…and thus, Haishin became a Heartless. This was also indicated when he suddenly turned a few shades darker, and his eyes began glowing yellow. Haishin took a hard downward swing, which Tahra deftly dodged.

"Uh…Armeil…what's with that?" Nack whispered to the echidna.

"He's lost his heart and soul…that pendant is the only thing keeping him alive now…"

The battle was now increasing in speed and velocity, and now both combatants were bounding off of walls as they clashed. They had been little communication for some time now, but Tahra began to notice Haishin's new state, and suspected that he was beyond saving. Until now she had been holding back in the hope of reviving the good in him, but now she knew it was hopeless. She knew there was no way he could win when she went at him, even without a Super form. Even though he had mocked her and openly attacked her, Tahra still viewed the prince as a friend.

As the two clashed again and began forcing on each other, Tahra made one last statement to him…

"Haishin…old friend…I see that you haven't the heart to beat me…"

"What are you talking about!" he said, now with a dark echo to his voice.

"I mean what I say…you have no heart…and now I'm going to defeat you. It pains to me to do this…but I must do it…for your sake and for mine…"

He stopped pushing, and stepped aside, using Haishin's own strength against him. As he stumbled by, she, with a tear in her eye, lopped his head off with a single swing of Labrys, then smashed the pendant, since her instinct told her that it was keeping Haishin alive. There was no blood spurting from the dead prince's neck, since no blood flows through the veins of Heartless. His body moldered into black dust, and he was no more.

Armeil and Nack were dumbfounded. The very being who had taken them down with one swing had just gotten the same treatment. Had Akuma trained her well enough for this to happen? They could only imagine what surprises the young descendant of warrior queens had in store for the perverted angel who ran the place, as well as them.

"Well, I suppose that leaves only Leawdak himself…" Armeil said as he continued through the room. Nack, with a grin, removed a pair of submachine guns from of his fur and followed the echidna. Tahra watched the weasel do that with a little surprise, and she wondered if he was really going to use that thing.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Just send her to the experimental room, there's no time," Leawdak spat as he reviewed the last of the girls sent up to him. Even though he knew that there were three intruders in his tower, he continued his daily business, including inspecting new arrivals to his tower. The girl was a white female hedgehog…the one named Melody, the old favorite of Regal before Vera obtained that role.

But before anything could be done, about twenty rounds shot through the head of an angel who was guarding her. Nack was standing on the landing, and Tahra came up from behind him, and waved Melody over. Leawdak made no move to stop the barely-clothed and nearly crying girl.

"Look who decided to show up…not only has one of those little Chosen, but the traitor and my own wimpy light side…how nice." The black-haired angel stood up, and summoned a large black and spiky whip to his hand.

Tahra chuckled as she gripped her axe tightly. "It figures that the guy with all the sexual deviances would have a whip. Big load of good it will do you…"

Leawdak grinned and snapped the whip at Labrys in an attempt to disarm her. Though the whip did get around the axe, he couldn't remove it from Tahra's iron grip on the weapon. She shifted to her Heroic form, and tugged hard, pulling the whip loose, then shot a small energy blast at it, disintegrating it.

"Really, buddy…you're going to have to do better than that…or have been too busy pleasuring yourself with innocent girls to learn how to fight properly!"

"Hmph…maybe I cannot fight in this form…" the black-haired angel sneered, before shifting back to the blond-haired form of Dark Armeil…"but I can in this one!" He called forth a huge scimitar to his hands. Tahra grinned and readied herself, holding Labrys two-handed.

"Now things have gotten interesting…maybe you'll actually be a challenge!"

The two fighters dashed at each other with blinding speed, their weapons clashing brightly. Dark Armeil quickly broke the pushing and tried to hit the hedgehog, but she bounded upwards and then disappeared, warping behind the angel leader, and, with no disguise of her pleasure, sliced off one of his wings. The angel knocked her away and regenerated the decapitated wing before launching another attack.

"You dare to mock me? I am the king of heaven, who dethroned the old gods ages ago!" the angelic Armeil ranted as he clashed with Tahra again. He was obviously annoyed at the girl's defiant attitude, as well as her ability. But then again, all of the people like her were this way.

When Dark Armeil defeated the old order of angels and established his own, the first people to oppose him were these warrior women. They were also his strongest opponents, and he made it a point to kill them all off. He had believed that he had succeeded, but apparently he missed one: Tahra's ancestor. The ancestor had been on a journey when the Judgment destroyed her homeland, and her line established the high ranks of the Emerald Light's clergy. Now it was payback time for that dead race…

Tahra immediately broke away, spun behind him, and jabbed the angel in the back with the pointed end of her axe…and it went right through his chest, spearing his evil heart. The so-called king of heaven crumpled to the floor, but was not dead. Tahra figured it was a good time to get information out of him. She picked up the dying angel, and began her interrogation.

"Okay, blond-boy, start talking…where's Rouge, and what have you done with her?"

The angel thought about this for a minute, then started laughing. Blood was starting to leak out of his throat as he did. This laughter could not trigger Tahra's phobia, but she couldn't help but wonder what was so funny.

"Oh, she's alive…and in the room beyond here. But she won't respond or move!"

"…And why not?"

"…Because she's carrying babies…Lord Geddon's babies!"

Nack's rage suddenly flared up, and he tried to rush at the dying angel, screaming and cursing. The echidna Armeil had to hold him back, just so Tahra could finish her interrogation. Now the angel was starting to get a psychotic look in

"What's more…when those babies are ready to come out…they'll begin to eat their way out…while she's still alive!" He began cackling incessantly in his dying delirium, but Tahra was too angry to be scared by this. Never in her life had she heard anything so disgusting, so vile. She just had to shut this guy up once and for all. She pulled the axe out of him, and in a righteous fury, she split his head open, and the king of heaven turned to dust at last, Armeil's evil silenced forever.

Nack immediately pulled himself out of the echidna's grip, and he rushed to the room beyond where, just as the evil angel had said, Rouge was waiting. She was chained to the wall, and was looking noticeably plumper around the middle from her dire encounter with the Meteor Parasite. Her eyes were glazed over, and it was hard to tell that she was even breathing. Nack quickly took her off the wall, and held her in his arms, tears of anger running down his face.

"That creep…he'll pay for what he's done…" Tahra said when she came in and saw this pitiful sight. "C'mon…let's sweep out the rest of this tower and find a way to fix those poor girls."

"Good idea," Armeil replied. "But let Nack stay here." Tahra nodded, and the two went off to do just as they had said.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Sonic…aren't you having fun with this?" Knuckles asked as Team Sonic grinded down a rail that spanned across Eggman's fleet. The blue hedgehog's mood was determined but grim today. He was not the same fun-loving fellow that had left them a year ago.

"Saving the world is serious business, Knux…it's not fun in the least…"

Tails seemed surprised. "Sonic…not having fun?" he exclaimed as the three bounded off the rail and onto another one. "That's a first. C'mon Sonic, this is Egghead we're talking about! You love thrashing him! Why the sudden change of opinion?"

"For the first time in my life, Tails…I feel like I have a responsibility to the world. I've saved the world just because I thought it was fun. Now I realize just how much people need saviors. They're unable to do anything for themselves…especially against an enemy this powerful. Besides, I was younger then, and I didn't have someone I truly cared about."

"Tahra?" Knuckles asked.

"Yeah…she means everything to me. I don't know how she did it, but she won me over big time."

"Weren't you secretly in love with Amy for a while?" Tails said as the team readied to land on another platform with Eggman's robots waiting for them.

"Yeah…but I'm happy for the girl now. She's found Shadow, and I'm not jealous in the least. Now c'mon, let's find Eggman and crack him wide open!"

"That's the Sonic I know!" Knuckles cheered as they began their attack on the robots.

-- -- -- -- --

**Tahra**: What? That was too easy. Shadow's fight was longer than mine by a long shot!

**Nack**: And what possessed you to make Rouge a living egg sac?

**Me**: Call it my evil side. But next up, a final duel to end a long rivalry is at hand…Sonic vs. Eggman! You won't want to miss this final battle! And once that's over, the siege on Hasyn begins!

**Regal: **What about me and Vera? At what does that slut Melody have to do with all this?

**Me**: It will all be told in time. I just hope ScarletEbon gets back from her vacation…it's been six days since she was on Deviant Art…


	57. Chapter 57: Eggman No More

**Chapter Fifty-Seven**

**Me**: That's three powerful demons down, one crazed half-robot scientist to go! Then it's off to the land of demons, where Nazo lies in wait!

**Sonic**: Here we come, Egg-head!

**Tahra**: Go for record time?

**Me**: No, we're going to make it good, not fast.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Man, Eggman really went overboard this time!" Sonic exclaimed as he, Tails and Knuckles encountered yet another group of robots, this time a group of giant hammer-wielding robots and E-2000s, machines that they had dealt with many times before. Sonic quickly dispatched the machines with a few swings of Excalibur. The group had been wasting time fighting them normally, and the blue hedgehog was eager to find the scientist.

"Well, here we are…I suspect Eggman is behind this door," Sonic continued. "Do you two mind if I go in alone?" Tails and Knuckles shook her heads, before the half-kitsune turned around to see another swarm of robots coming in behind them.

"Hurry up, Sonic…" Knuckles said before bounding away, "We'll hold them off."

Sonic forced the two giant metal doors open and walked into the giant arena-like area, and soon he heard a familiar voice on the loudspeaker…

"It's about time you showed up, Sonic…I've waited far too long for this chance!" A platform came down and hung about thirty feet off of the arena floor, and Sonic got a good look at what Doctor Eggman had become…

"Woah, Doc…looks like there's not much of you left." Sonic said with surprise.

"This is what I have become…and it's your fault! When you went berserk, you marched right into my base and tore me to pieces! I was saved by the Meteor Parasite, and he reminded me that we are enemies, and I shall make you pay for reducing me to this state!"

"You have only yourself to blame. If you hadn't given me all this power, maybe you wouldn't be in the state you are."

It's true…I was a fool to give you the power you have now…and it's time I corrected that mistake!" The doctor pressed a button on a controller, and the platform retracted again. About thirty seconds later, a twenty-foot-tall, lithe, angel-like robot marched out of the opposite door. A large blade of light extended out of the machine's right arm, and it pointed at Sonic.

"Now I'll crush you with the Egg Seraph, my latest and…"

Sonic rolled his eyes. "…Greatest invention, I know…if I had a Ring for every time you've said that, I'd have a pile the size of your big fat ass."

"YOU DARE TO INSULT ME AND MY GENIUS!" the scientist bellowed. "THAT'S IT, SONIC, YOU DIE SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY!" The robot swung fast and hard at Sonic, fast enough to actually hit him. This sent him reeling into the metal door he came in.

The robot came in to stab Sonic, but the blue hedgehog reacted in time, and rolled away, and broke into a full run. He began to spiral up the walls, weaving to avoid the angel robot's sword attacks. When he found an opening, Sonic bounded off the wall and hit the robot's head with a homing attack. As Sonic bounced off the head, he jumped into his Super form and attacked again, this time striking with Excalibur.

The attack sliced into the head, but it didn't deal much damage, and the sword got stuck in the robot's head. Eggman's machine grabbed Sonic and began squeezing him hard. Even Super Sonic couldn't break the grip of the machine, and slowly, air was being pushed from his lungs, and his body was slowly being crushed. Meanwhile, he got an earful from the scientist…

"So, this is how it ends for the mighty Sonic the Hedgehog, huh? A fitting end…crushed between my fingers, as you so justly deserve. I've waited years for this moment…the day I finally see you dead at my feet! The day that you…"

Sonic was getting extremely annoyed now. On top of having every bit of his life squeezed out of him, now the old coot was laughing in his face. This couldn't possibly make Sonic any angrier…or psychotic. The glint of Sonic's fur dulled, and it got raggedy and his eyes turned into those red spirals. Old Psycho was back for more…

"Lemme go, lardball!" the demonic hedgehog growled. He managed to force the fingers of the Egg Seraph apart, and he fell, but landed on both feet, then brushed himself of dust and looked up at the machine. Eggman recognized this terrible form…it was the same Sonic that had left him in the state he was in. But he was in his machine, and Eggman realized that this terror was unreasonable.

"You don't scare me anymore, Sonic!" the scientist roared. "It doesn't matter how powerful you become…I'll still beat you!" He lashed out angrily at Sonic with the Egg Seraph's beam sword, but Psycho sidestepped it calmly. He shook his head in disappointment.

"Poor, delirious egghead…you obviously don't realize that I can never lose to you. I've taken down entire fleets…I've beaten your most horrible creations…and now I'm going to finish what I started and tear you LIMB FROM LIMB. That's all I'm going to say to you…I'll let my good side take things from here."

This was possible because Sonic (and the others) had learned to keep their darker selves under control, and now could shift out of them if need be without straining themselves. Sonic shifted to his angelic form and hovered in front of the Egg Seraph. Excalibur teleported into Sonic's hand and he readied it for an attack. But instead, he continued talking to Eggman.

"When Psycho said I was going to tear you limb from limb, I didn't mean it that strongly. But yes, I will finish what he started. Since we've been rivals for so long, let me show you my newest and greatest level of power."

In an impressive show of energy, Sonic ascended into the second level of his Heroic form, where his body was accented with silver-colored runes made from his own blood. He knew that the Master Emerald had shattered, but Eggman had seen his Hyper form before anyway. Besides, Sonic felt like scaring the scientist.

Eggman was indeed speechless. He could barely move at all, so terrified was he at Sonic's new form. He could only watch as the angelic Sonic sliced the head of his robot open, and lifted him out of the machine with one hand. He looked at the doctor closely.

"I almost feel sorry for you," Sonic sighed. "I thought for a while that you had changed. But I guess I was wrong. It ends now, Doctor Eggman."

"Sonic…no, wait…"

But that was all the scientist could manage to saybefore Sonic stabbed him through his ear and out the other side of his head, killing him instantly. He tossed the corpse aside, and returned to his normal form. His victory felt empty, though. Never before had he been able to beat the scientist so easily, and now he would never get another chance again. He wondered what allowed him to deliver the killing blow…something he was never able to do before.

Moments later, Knuckles and Tails burst in and closed the door behind them. They were a mess…bruised, dirty, and a little bloody too. They glanced over at Eggman's corpse, then at Sonic.

"So, you finally killed him, huh?" Knuckles said. "That was actually pretty fast. We were out there for what, three or four minutes? That's gotta be a new record…Sonic, are you okay?"

Sonic was looking at the blackened blood on his sword hand. He still couldn't believe that Eggman was actually dead. This was supposed to be the happiest day of his life…his greatest enemy was finally out of his life…Sonic couldn't figure out why this sudden surge of regret had just entered his mind. Was there something he had forgotten to ask the scientist? His mind searched for answers, but nothing came up…until he realized what he thought was the truth…

"I just wiped out the last human on Earth…" Sonic mumbled.

"Say that again?" Knuckles asked.

"I KILLED THE LAST HUMAN ON EARTH, DAMN IT!" Sonic screamed. In a fit of rage, Sonic shot a few energy blasts at Eggman's dead body, reducing it to dust.

"Sonic…there's another…didn't Amy tell you?"

But Sonic wouldn't listen. He was too busy clawing at his own mind, his heart filled with rage at himself, and at Eggman. In a burst of anger, Sonic's body began flashing colors, and his head-quills stood up on end, like Shadow's did, and thus transformed into his Hyper form.

Tails quickly saw that he and Knuckles were in danger. He called to Knuckles, and the two quickly left, Knuckles gliding off the battleship Sonic was on. Meanwhile, the enraged hedgehog began ripping apart the giant battleship. He pulled the door and threw it into a console inside the room beyond the arena, causing a large explosion that damaged the ship heavily. Then Sonic flew outside, grabbed the entire ship and tossed into another, setting off a chain reaction of collisions, explosions and destruction, while he began to repeat this process, all for the sake of destroying his enemy totally, so that not a scrap remained of the mad scientist who wouldn't get out of his head…

-- -- -- -- -- --

**Me**: So much for the director's cut…I guess I kinda rushed through this part. Don't worry, this chapter isn't over. Anyway, how about we throw in some fluff? We haven't had that in a while.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Shadow…you're getting a cold?" Amy exclaimed when she and Shadow were alone together again. She had never seen Shadow ever look sick before. She could even see a little snot beginning to drip out of the black hedgehog's nose.

Shadow wiped the drip off his nose. "It's just a little virus…nothing I can't (sniff) handle."

"It's not that…it's just…we Ultimate Life Forms can't get sick…right?"

"I guess that when I finally destroyed Black Doom his blood must have lost its effect. It boosted my immune system to the point where I could never get sick. Still, a cold can't stop (cough) me."

"I'm sure one of Vahtri's cookies will make you all better in no time!" Amy replied cheerfully. She pulled one such cookie from a plate of them she was eating and handed it to Shadow. With a skeptical look on his face, Shadow took a few bites of the cookie, and in a matter of moments, Shadow felt the sickness clear out of his body, and it felt good to recover, however minor the cold was.

"Wow…not only am I feeling stupendous, but that cookie was as good as…well, you." Amy blushed, and then decided to change the subject. She stood up and gazed out into the wasteland. For the first time, she was able to view their next destination…the Pyramid of Hasyn. Shadow stood up to look with her.

The Pyramid glinted beautifully in the light of the dawn, belying its sinister purpose. They had been told that it was the gateway to the realm where Nazo and Geddon had taken shelter, and a city of sin had been built around a grand palace. Only those who possessed certain pendants could enter the city normally, but the four elemental creatures that their friends had spent a year search for could break down the barrier and reveal the gateway.

"So that's our next destination…" Amy said, pointing to the structure. "It looks pretty from here…to think that a realm of evil lies inside that thing. Just thinking about going back there scares me."

Shadow chuckled. "That's silly…they're the ones that should be the ones that are scared, Amy. If they think they stand a chance, those monsters are in for a bad wake-up call."

Amy suddenly started laughing. "Oh, man, Shadow…that's something _Sonic_ would say. I think that time with him had an effect on you. You'd be more like this…" Amy assumed a badass posse, frowned comically and started to talk like Shadow…

"'Those monstrous cretins are so dead…they should be begging their false gods for mercy, even though they aren't going to get any…'"

"I do NOT sound like that…do I?"

Amy grinned, and Shadow started to laugh too. He DID sound ridiculous at times. But Amy was having good fun with him…nothing more.

-- -- -- -- -- --

The chamber where the Meteor Parasite lay in a half-sleep, half-waking state was quiet, as only he and Nazo were present. But a telepathic conversation of dire importance to their cause was going on.

_I am getting very frustrated, Nazo…one by one your brothers have fallen, and that Doctor Eggman. Now those accursed hedgehogs and their friends will surely come this way._

"_Be calm, Lord Geddon. Even if they do make it into the chamber, there's no way for them to stop your full revival…for your weak spot is only known to a select few, no?"_

_Yes. You, me and the one named Regal are the only ones whom I have trusted this information. Speaking of Regal, I have noticed that there is resistance. He may be trying to break free of us._

"_Try as he might, his heart and soul shall soon be swallowed by the Heartless in his pendant, and his loyalty will be secured. Only time will tell." _

_Good. Meanwhile, Nazo, prepare the city's defenses. You will remain here to keep an eye on Regal while your daughter Vera will command the defense force._

"_Understood…"_

-- -- -- -- -- --

**Me**: All right, folks, the final part of the story has begun! By the way, if you're on Deviant Art, check my homepage (check my account and click on "homepage") for info about a fan art contest! You may win yourself a nice gift art or gift story, or even a cameo in a later work of mine! The contest ends July 1st, 2006.

**Tahra**: Good luck to all who enter. May the best artist win…and gods dang it, I hope they do.


	58. Chapter 58: Into Evil's Realm

**Chapter Fifty-Eight**

**Me**: The four great enemies have been beaten, and now the final stage is at hand…it's only a matter of time before the battle against Nazo and the Meteor Parasite commences!

**Mikael**: Yeah! Let's go get ol' Naz-trils!

**Nazo**: HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU NEVER TO CALL ME THAT?

-- -- -- -- --

"Wow…that's some impressive seal." Zeipha said as she stared up at the Pyramid of Hasyn after she, the four hedgehogs, Vector and Vahtri arrived there. The others had opted to remain behind and prepare for the worst. Many of them did beg to follow, but the concern of the four heroes for their friends made them refuse.

"We didn't come here to sightsee, Zeipha," Vector scolded. "We came here to blow this thing to smithereens! How else are we going to help Sonic and the other three save the dang world…ask those monsters nicely!"

"Just get this over with!" Sonic said in a frustrated tone. Amy joined the other three, and all closed their eyes, and concentrated as hard as they could. Slowly, the four great elemental creatures appeared…Alneetha, Behemoth, Leviathan and Ziz, each on a side of the pyramid. The four hedgehogs stared up at the creatures in astonishment (except Amy, who was familiar with Alneetha already).

"Wow…these creatures…I've seen big things before, but this is ridiculous!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Okay, you four, do your stuff!" Vector said. "Okay, everyone, I think it's best if we took cover."

"…Where?" Vahtri asked innocently. Then all of them realized that there was no cover to speak of.

"Oh...crud..." Shadow and Vector said at the same time.

Moments later there were engulfed by simultaneous elemental attacks, all aimed at the pyramid. The earth itself shook beneath their feet, and the sky seemed to shift from day to night at a rapid pace, until finally the pyramid crumbled. The seven, surprised to be alive, looked at the damage that was done. In the place of the pyramid was a giant, blue and black portal that seemed to exude a horrid stench, like that of a pile of rotting corpses that has sat in the hot sun for a year.

"Well…into the stench of the demon world we go," Tahra commented as she held her nose. "Stay safe, you three…" With that, the four hedgehogs stepped through the portal and into a realm that was prepared to take them on…

-- -- -- -- -- --

As soon as the four hedgehogs stepped through the portal, the enemy began to attack them, with a tide of two-foot-high shadow Heartless pouring onto the four hedgehogs. They had to repeatedly swing their weapons just to keep from being swallowed up. But they couldn't swing quite fast enough. They couldn't go Super either…it was too difficult for them to draw upon sufficient energy. The four managed to get to the top of a building to catch their breath and to get a view of the situation.

"Dang, there's a lot of them," Tahra said. "Can't we just Chaos Control over there or something?"

"What? And miss all the potential kicking of evil butt? No way! There's gotta be another way." Sonic tapped his Fusion bracer as he thought, and that gave him the solution.

"Fusion time, everybody?"

"I'm up for it," Amy replied, then turned to Tahra. The purple hedgehog shrugged. Shadow seemed eager as well.

"Okay…ladies first."

Amy and Tahra pressed the large silver buttons on their bracers, and they fused once again to form Amahra, who immediately changed into her Super form.

"Your turn, boys…" she said. After staring at their combined girlfriends for a moment, the two boys repeated the same process, and soon they fused into the more powerful Shadic, and he too transformed into his Super form. Both were wielding the respective Sacred Arms. Both looked out at the army of demons and Heartless, and suddenly an idea popped into Shadic's mind.

"I'll race you to the place…but we have to cut through that army there."

Amahra grinned and hefted both weapons on her shoulders. "You're on, bucko."

The two quickly sprung back into the river of Heartless and demons, and began cutting (and smashing, in the case of Amahra) a swath out of the army, sending hapless soldiers of all sizes soaring into buildings like stalks of wheat thrown into the air by a berserk tractor.

As this happened, projectiles of all sorts, whether they were fireballs, arrows or other nasty things came streaming out of the palace, fired by a wall of archers and minor wizards in an attempt to stave off the two. But to no avail. The attacks simply bounced off their seemingly invincible bodies as if they were raindrops…soon the two hedgehogs had reached the gates of the palace, with Shadic winning the "race" by a nose. He did a little victory dance.

"Oh, yeah girl…I beat you baaaaad!" Shadic whooped.

"It was a close race…and I swear that you cheated." Shadic stuck his tongue out in response to the comment. Amahra ignored this childish response and continued.

"Besides, didn't we come here to put a stop to Nazo and his freak of a master?" Amahra kicked the door to the palace down and started in. "C'mon, bucko."

"Stop calling me bucko!" Shadic whined as he followed Amahra in.

"I can call you whatever I want," his companion replied.

-- -- -- -- --

The two fused hedgehogs, after fighting their way through the palace, came upon a room with five doors. The largest door was the farthest one, and there were four massive locks on it. The other four doors were unlocked.

Shadic started doing the proverbial math. "Let's see…five doors…one big one with multiple locks…" The conclusion dawned upon him, and he sighed with disappointment.

"What's with the sigh, Shadic?" Amahra asked. "Figured out this little conundrum?"

Shadic nodded and assumed a stance of seeming intelligence. "This Nazo guy, for being an evil mastermind, really lacks creativity," he said. "The keys to this door are behind those other four doors, which are most likely being guarded either by our hated enemies or darker parts of our selves, or a combination of the two. Couldn't the guy come up with something more original!"

"Are you done, mister critic?" Amahra groaned. "Let defuse and split up. That will be most efficient way to deal with this problem." With a nod, the two defused.

"Okay, let's get this done fast," Shadow said to everyone. "Whatever trickery he has planned, don't fall for it."

"Right," Tahra replied. "We meet back here and fuse up again."

Sonic and Amy simply nodded, and they each picked a door…

-- -- -- -- --

"This is degrading!" Krynku roared to no one as he paced around the chamber with the first key. "I am a general of great armies of darkness, not some low-life guard for a silly key! Who does that harlot Vera think she is, putting me here?" He swung Hexedge at some imaginary foe. A few moments later, his ears picked up the sound of footsteps, and the smell of hedgehog. He grinned widely, and realized why he was placed here. He slinked back into the darkness and waited.

Sure enough, Sonic burst into the room, Excalibur on the ready. He scanned the room, and caught the glint of Hexedge. He pointed his own sword in the direction of the glint.

"Okay, mister key guardian, you can come out now. I see you."

Krynku slinked out of the darkness with the same grin on his face. It took a moment for Sonic to realize just who this hyena was.

"General…you must be the guy who killed Tahra's grandmother…that's going to make defeating you all the more gratifying!" He readied himself in a combat stance. To his surprise, the general didn't seem all too eager to fight.

"Tell me, Sonic…other than the key, what do you think you'll get from beating me?"

Sonic didn't even have to think about his response. "…The knowledge that all your victims have been avenged…"

"My victims, you say?" the hyena replied with a bit of surprise. "What about the suffering of _my _people? My people have been abused by your kind for millennia!"

Sonic spat before he responded to this. "That's because your people have tossed their lot with the ultimate evil, that's why."

Krynku shook his head. "Oh no, blue one…it's the other way around! We joined forces with the Meteor Parasite _because _we were abused. You wish to end persecution, do you not?"

Sonic was starting to get suspicious, and resumed his guard. "Yeah…what's your point?"

The hyena grinned. "The only way that you can do that is for you to join us!" Sonic decided to answer the only way that would get through the hyena's head…he attacked him. To the hedgehog's surprise, his attack was blocked. Sonic wondered how it was possible…and he got his explanation soon enough.

"The air in this realm seems to be slowing you down…how convenient for me!"

The hyena rolled around behind Sonic and slashed him across the back, sending him reeling into the wall, while his opponent laughed victoriously before following up with a jumping downward stab. Sonic rolled out of the way and slashed Krynku's foot, knocking him down, then slashed the hyena across the eyes, blinding him.

That was something Sonic would soon regret. The blind hyena went berserk, and his sword began to glow. A black bolt of lightning struck Sonic, and something intangible was ripped right of Sonic's body. Then the hyena began to glow a dull gold color and red spirals appeared in his regenerating eyes. The hyena spoke in a disturbingly familiar voice.

"Ah…MUCH BETTER…" The voice belonged to Psycho Super Sonic, who had used Hexedge as a jumping off point to change bodies.

"Well, this isn't quite how I expected to be fighting my dark side…" Sonic grunted, still feeling the hyena's slash to his back. "But beggars can't be choosers, I guess…" The mad hyena tossed the sword aside, and savagely pounced at Sonic, his mouth open to bite him. This time, Sonic was able to dodge it, and suddenly found an opening for a killing blow. As Krynku bit the air, the blue hedgehog did an upward swing, slashing the hyena's throat. The creature fell to the ground, and Sonic quickly stabbed Excalibur between his opponent's eyes to finish the job.

_That was too easy, _Sonic thought. As he took the key and began to walk away, he was suddenly grabbed by the hyena. Despite having his throat slashed and his brain ran through, still the hyena was not dead. With surprising force, he threw Sonic into the wall, and then pulled himself up. Slowly his wounds began to close. Before long, the psychotic hyena was as good as new.

"Nice try, Sonic…but it's going to take more than THAT to kill me!" he cackled before pouncing again. But still he could not get to Sonic, who was starting to get irritated. He could outrun this freakshow…but he couldn't kill him.

Then he noticed Hexedge. Sonic wondered if that was the key to putting down this mad dog, and decided to give it a try. He kicked Krynku in the face, and bounded to the sword's location. The blue gem on its hilt seemed to have a tiny vortex inside it. Quickly, Sonic thrust Excalibur into that spot, smashing the gem. It worked like a charm. The hyena suddenly screamed in pain, and it seemed like his body was boiling. Slowly the creature melted away, armor and all, hissing and bubbling until nothing was left but a pool of transparent dark yellow liquid. The sword turned to dust as well.

_Man…that was too close_, Sonic thought. Now he had avenged Tahra's grandmother and obtained the first key. His thoughts turned to his companions and how they were faring…

-- -- -- -- -- --

**Me**: And so the chapter ends here.

**Tahra**: A little rushed, wasn't it?

**Me**: Don't worry…the fight against Nazo and the Meteor Parasite will be one to remember. Besides, you're up next.

**Tahra**: I can't wait to see who I face!

**Sonic**: This key's so shiny! It's...my…

**Me**: Don't even go there.


	59. Chapter 59: Vera and Geddon

**Chapter Fifty-Nine**

**Me**: Okay, now it's Tahra's turn to meet her key guardian…and it's going to be a very unusual fight, to say the least.

**Tahra**: (cracks knuckles) …Bring the sucker on!

**Me**: Okay then, Tahra…you asked for it!

-- -- -- -- -- --

Tahra moved cautiously through the passageway leading to the second key. She had no idea what to expect, and so far, the going was way too easy. But she began to hear mumbling as she approached the door, which sounded oddly familiar.

As she put her ear to the door, she heard not one, but TWO voices. One definitely belonged to that no-good cousin of hers, Regal. She always knew the forces of darkness would see his perversion and use it to win him over. She assumed the other voice was just some girl he took with him to do whatever he wished. But if Regal was the guardian, she would have to fight (and probably kill) her own cousin. Even though she extremely disliked him, he was still family.

Tahra kicked the door down, and found Regal with Vera. Even though the two had never met, Tahra did recognize the pendant though, as it was the same as Haishin's. Vera stood up and grinned.

"So, I finally get to meet the object of my little Regal's hatred…" the bat said.

"I assume you must be one of my cousin's little groupies," Tahra replied sardonically. "He never did have great taste in women." She paused and relished this next comment. "…And I thought _Rouge _looked like a prostitute."

"…A _prostitute_?" Vera exclaimed angrily. "I'll have you know that I am one of Nazo's top-ranking officials AND his best spy. I won't be humiliated by the likes of you…the one who dishonored Regal in front of all his friends."

"ME?" Tahra exclaimed. "I said nothing! Sonic was the one who made the comment." She turned to Regal in order to reason with him.

"Regal…what were you thinking, siding with the enemy? You do REALIZE what they're going to do?" To Tahra's surprise, Regal nodded.

"Yeah, I know all too well…and I'm not going along with it!" He removed his pendant and tossed it aside.

Vera was aghast. Was Regal betraying her? After all she did for him? She couldn't stand it, and lashed out at Regal with a kick to his groin, dropping him to the floor in one shot. The bat then turned her attention to Tahra and cracked her knuckles, eager for a fight.

"You do realize you're outmatched, you rat with wings," Tahra said as she brandished her axe. "I can beat you in two seconds."

"Maybe for now…but get a load of this!" Vera clasped her pendant and concentrated. Four small black strings came out, and stuck themselves into the bat's arms and back. Tahra watched in amazement and revulsion as Vera's muscles began writhing and growing. This transformation took only a few seconds and did not make her grow immensely, but it was plain to see that the bat was far more powerful than before, if the glowing yellow eyes and much larger wingspan didn't indicate that.

"Okay…that was just disturbing," Tahra commented. "But just because you got a little more muscle doesn't change a thing. I can still beat you in no time at all." She beckoned Vera to attack, and she did, delivering a powerful punch that knocked Tahra through the wall, and into an empty, but far larger chamber. Vera shot a few black and purple energy bolts into the room, which Tahra was able to deflect.

The purple hedgehog knew that she needed to get to that pendant if she was going to beat this opponent. But the question was how. The bat had a much greater reach now (her new height was now a little less than five feet) and Tahra was unable to power up, even to her Heroic form, and Chaos energy was a little thin.

Tahra realized that she seemed to have no other choice. To defeat this foe, she had to draw upon her darker side. She was afraid for Regal's life. He was family, after all. She was about to weigh the possibilities when Vera came in and did a powerful shoulder barge, which Tahra barely dodged.

That settled it for her. It was time to bring out Dark Tahra, as much as she didn't want to. With a simple thought, her mind slipped into the shadow, and the evil within her came forth. Vera was quite astonished by this transformation.

"Well, it looks like the goody-goody DOES have her darker side. I'm impressed."

Dark Tahra said nothing, and only eyed the pendant. In a flash, she warped behind Vera, wrapped one arm around the bat's neck, and removed each wire with astounding speed, then ripped the pendant off and tossed it aside. Dark energy seeped out of Vera, and she returned to normal. Dark Tahra tossed her to the ground and held the axe to her throat.

"That was too easy…" Dark Tahra chuckled. "My good self apparently DOES have enough sense to let me out. Now to finish you off…"

As Tahra raised her axe, Regal suddenly stepped in her way, standing over Vera, with her body lying between his legs. He held his arms out to try and stop his cousin from hurting the bat he suddenly seemed to care for.

"Tahra…I don't want this fight to go on. Please, spare her life."

"Why should I? She's my enemy. Give me one good reason why I should spare this pathetic soul's life, and maybe I'll consider it."

Regal smiled. "I can tell you the Meteor Parasite's weakness."

Even Dark Tahra hated Geddon, so this offer piqued her interest, but she was still suspicious. He sounded honest, but she had been fooled more than once by her cousin's words.

"Oh, you know his weakness?"

"I do. They were stupid enough to trust me with it. Now if you would be so kind as to step away from the bat and get back to your normal self, I'll whisper it to you."

Hesitantly, Dark Tahra did so, and just as Regal said, he began to whisper the secret, he was suddenly grabbed by a massive pair of jaws and tossed into the air…those jaws belonged to the shadowy Biolizard, the shadowy Heartless residing inside Vera's pendant.

The purple hedgehog wasn't about to let some overgrown salamander devour the key to saving the planet, and she quickly tossed Labrys at the massive creature, slicing off its head with a single hit. Regal landed just a few inches short of where its mouth would be.

"Thanks, cousin. I didn't think you'd actually save me."

"We all make mistakes, Regal. You just saw yours in time. Now, what were you saying?"

Regal whispered the Meteor Parasite's secret weakness into his cousin's ear, and she listened carefully. She could tell he was telling the truth this time. But now another question had to be asked.

"Why did you save the bat? She seems pretty evil to me."

Regal sighed. "She's only evil to please her dad."

"And who's that?" Tahra asked.

"…It's Nazo. She's been in denial though. But maybe she'll come to her senses now that she isn't under constant fear of exploding…I don't think you want to hear the details."

Vera was getting up and rubbing her head. "Who got the number of that truck…wha? Did you just do what I'm sure you did, Regal?"

The red hedgehog nodded. "…Yeah. I told my cousin here the boss' weakness. I did it for both of us. Don't worry about your old man…he won't bother us anymore. Now let's blow this joint." As Regal turned to leave, he stopped and spoke to his cousin one last time, but without looking at her.

"I'm leaving old man Nazo and that freak show Geddonto you and your friends. And…I'm really sorry for everything. I just wanted revenge so bad, that I lost my way. But now I think I've finally found it again. But this doesn't mean I'm not looking at hentai anymore!"

Tahra grinned. "You wouldn't be Regal without it…now get out of here, you little pervert!"

Regal took Vera by the shoulder and carried her out by the chamber's main door, while Tahra, after standing there satisfied that she had patched things up with her cousin, took the key and made her way back to the chamber with the quadruple-locked door.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

Shadow was expecting to see Eclipse as the guardian of the third key…but it looked like no one was guarding it after all. It was just sitting there, out in the open. The black hedgehog was sure it was a trap, but despite this knowledge, he moved forward, still cautiously. As he reached for the key, something huge came out of a portal and smashed headlong into Shadow, sending him careening into the wall. When Shadow managed to get to his feet, he beheld a surprise…not Eclipse, but one of the loathsome heads of the Meteor Parasite itself.

"Never thought you'd see me here, huh?" the beast cackled. It did not have a true voice, but its mind could produce speech. "If you're wondering where your little friend Eclipse is, he's somewhere else. So, I'm going to let you have this key.

"What's the catch?" Shadow asked suspiciously. The creature did not respond.

Shadow grimaced. "I don't know whether to thank you or chop your head off right now…"

Geddon chuckled. "You amuse me, ebon one. As for the key, instead of having to fight me, I'm going to quiz you! Isn't that interesting?"

"I have no time for games, you monster," Shadow retorted as he went to grab the key. But the beast's head moved in his way, and Shadow stared into his eye for a moment, and then found an opportunity. Quickly he stabbed Masamune into the creature's eye…only to find that it went straight through him. The creature cackled.

"Shadow, you fool…this is merely a projection of me. I can make it solid or incorporeal as I please, so fighting me is futile. Now, I think it's time to play my game. You must answer three out of five questions correctly. If you fail, you shall die. If you succeed, you can have the key."

"Fine…" the black hedgehog sighed.

"Oh joy! Okay, first question…what is my proper name?"

Shadow grinned. "Simple…Geddon." The creature simply nodded, and closed its single huge eye, as it thought of the next question.

"Next question…what is my goal?"

Shadow took a little more time to answer this one. "To devour the universe, I suppose."

"Close…but not completely correct. That's one strike. Next question…how many heads do I have in reality? It's more than one, let me just say right now."

Shadow was stumped for a moment, but then he remembered one of his favorite songs...

"Seven heads."

Geddon seemed mad. "You shouldn't have been able to get that! Okay, next question…who is my closest friend?" The beast seemed sure that Shadow couldn't get this.

"Nazo?" the black hedgehog answered. The parasite cackled victoriously. "Fool! I have no use for friends…Nazo is my minion and servant! He is not my friend! That's two strikes. Now for your final question, Shadow…" The black hedgehog's heart raced. He wasn't even fighting, yet his life was on the line. He had to get this next question, or the whole world was doomed.

"What is the name of the being who rules this world?"

Shadow was flabbergasted. No one being ruled the world…or was that not the case? The answer came to the black hedgehog, but he did not like it.

"Geddon, the Meteor Parasite."

The beast roared in delight. "Oh, you're so smart, Shadow! Yes, I have ruled this planet for eons, and once we meet, I will destroy you and your friends to ensure that I will rule this planet until I have finished consuming its energy! Take the key, now. I'll see YOU on the top floor." With that, the head of Geddon disappeared. Shadow finally put his hands on the key and took it with him. He was relieved to be alive, but angered at Geddon for taunting him so.

-- -- -- -- --

"Regal…why did you save me?" Vera asked once the two had left the city of Hasyn and found shelter from the sun under the rubble. "I had lured you into my father's evil clutches, and made you do horrible things. How can you still save me?"

"I told you already, Vera…I love you, damn it! Out of all the girls in my group, for reasons I just couldn't put my finger on, I wanted to protect you. I used to think it was all about having lots of girls…but now I guess that it's just having the right one."

Vera didn't seem cheered up, and was still stunned by what had happened some time ago. "But…why me, Regal? You could have tossed me away like you did Melody. And she was your race, too."

"But she didn't listen to me. None of my favorites did. They just rolled all over me. You did, too, I'll admit, and it was hot stuff…but you listened to my problems, even if you were going to use me. We were both being used. Now stop being all emo and gimme some sugar, toots."

Vera grinned. She felt so happy now that she was out of her dread father's reach, and for the first time in her life, she felt loved. Who could deny her love a little fun?

-- -- -- -- -- --

**Me**: Only Amy remains to get her key, and then the final battle will begin! Chapter 60 will be a really long one, as it is the _final_ chapter! That's right, folks…this story is about to come to an end.

**Tahra**: I can't believe it's almost over…

**Amy**: I guess I have to fight Eclipse. Yay!

**Me**: Stay tuned for the epic final battle of this tale!

**Charmy**: The suspense is killing me!


	60. Chapter 60: To Save All Life

**(Edit July 12th, 2007): **I rewrote the battle with Geddon to make more awesome.  
**  
Chapter 60**

**Me**: The final conflict is at hand! Amy vs. Eclipse, and then the four heroes against Nazo and Geddon! It's finally about to end in this epic and quite long chapter.

**Shadow**: Yahoo! Let's rock!

**Sonic**: Let's show him the real super power of…

**Amy**: (smashes Sonic) Oh no, you don't!

-- -- -- -- --

Amy poked her head into the fourth key chamber, and looked around. She saw two pairs of yellow eyes peering out of the darkness. She drew Mjolnir and waited. The first one to come out of the darkness was Eclipse, with Murasame in hand, but lacking his distinctive evil grin.

"Well, well, if it isn't my good self's little girlfriend. Don't worry, I'm done with you. Besides, your dark side is far better in bed." The characteristic evil grin returned when the owner of the other set of eyes came out…it was Dark Amy, all clad in black leather, and sporting a huge, spiky black hammer.

"Can we end this quick so we can get back to having fun?" the evil Amy asked the evil Shadow.

"Whatever. No more talking…it's time to kick your pink ass, little girl!" The two sinister hedgehogs bounded forward and attacked Amy with near perfect synchronization. She had to leap onto the wall to avoid this deadly duo. She ran up the wall a foot or two before pushing off and landing behind them. Like the others, she had no way of powering up, and had to make do with the hammer she was given.

But the pink hedgehog wasn't caught totally unprepared. As her two opponents rushed at her again, Amy summoned up all her strength and smashed the sacred hammer into the ground, shaking up the entire castle, and knocking Eclipse and Dark Amy off balance. This gave the good Amy enough time to rush in and snatch Dark Amy's hammer right out of her hands. Unlike Murasame, this hammer was just a big magic hammer without any evil energy, and not Mjolnir's opposite.

Now with two hammers in hand, Amy felt unstoppable while her evil self recoiled in fear. Without that hammer, she was nothing. With a scowl, she retreated into the darkness, leaving Eclipse to fight on his own.

"Some girlfriend you have there, buddy," Amy taunted. "As soon as she loses her weapon, she runs away with her tail between her legs. At least I don't need weapons to beat you, but with them, I think you're dead meat."

Eclipse tried to think of something, and managed to come up with an idea. "Y-you think you can beat me? You do realize that if you kill me, Shadow will die." Amy saw through his lie easily.

"I don't have time for your lies…" Amy replied. She immediately went on the attack, and stuck Eclipse in the belly with Mjolnir, knocking him upward. He righted himself in mid-air and landed on his feet. He immediately jumped back in the air and launched a few Chaos Spears, but Amy quickly blocked them. She dashed right up to him, and with no disguise of satisfaction, smashed the two hammers into Eclipse's head, finishing him off in a single blow, so great was the force of the attack. But the second hammer shattered from the attack…it just couldn't handle Amy's increased strength.

_That was way too easy…_she thought as she took the key and made her way back to the main chamber.

-- -- -- -- --

The four hedgehogs reconvened at the quadruple-locked door, and greeted each other. Shadow immediately noticed Amy's new hammer and was puzzled.

Amy seemed pleased with herself when she told Shadow about it "The two guards were Eclipse and some pathetic version of my dark side. I killed Eclipse in _one hit! _Sweet deal, huh?" Shadow nodded and then turned to his companions.

"It seems we got through the so-called gatekeepers with no trouble," the black hedgehog said. "It's hard to believe that the final battle is at hand. Nazo is just a stone's throw away! All we need to do is go through that door and get to the top floor."

Sonic nodded, and did a fist pump. "Yeah…then we'll teach those two monsters that no one gets to destroy our planet without a fight!"

"And a fight we'll give them," Amy agreed. "Everyone out there is counting on us…Knuckles, Tails, Cream, and the others…all of our friends, as well as the entire world…they're all praying for our success. We can't lose to these two fiends _now_."

Tahra put a hand on Amy's shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "We _won't_ lose, Amy. I promise you that. Now, let's go get those two!" The whole group cheered, and then placed each of their keys into the door. With a loud clang the locks fell off the door, and it slowly and loudly creaked open. Standing in a row, the four hedgehogs, their weapons on the ready, began the final ascent up to the lair of Nazo, and to the final battle. The power that had been denied to them in their hunt for the keys returned, and they never felt more ready…

-- -- -- -- -- --

Nazo stood with his back to the door, waiting for the heroes to come into his lair. He listened to their footstep, his excitement growing with each one. He had waited so long to take on these four. He did not care that they had crushed his strongest servants, and defeated the key guardians with little effort. He wanted to fight them at their best, so that his victory would be all the sweeter.

The door to his lair flew open, and the sound of steel scraping on stone rang through the huge empty chamber. There was silence for a moment, and Nazo decided to address them. He dramatically turned to face them, and they readied themselves in a defensive stance.

"Welcome, Chosens, to my palace," the demonic hedgehog boomed dramatically, trying to ham it up as much as possible. "I trust you have enjoyed your little adventure. I'm glad to see you're at near full strength."

"You're going to regret thinking that, Nazo," Sonic called back. "We're going to put an end to your twisted reign today! You and your so-called brothers have been messing with us, as well as the world, for way too long."

"You and the Meteor Parasite are the source of all that is evil in this world, I'm sure of it!" Amy added. Nazo laughed at this comment, which made the four wonder what was so funny.

"I'm the source of all evil? Hah!" he spat. "Evil is a part of life just as much as good is…one cannot exist without the other. Didn't that old fool Master Khang teach you that, Amy Rose? Yes, I will not deny that my master and I are the greatest evils to ever exist on this world in your point of view…but there is no _source_. It is within all of us, just as you have your good and evil sides."

"You're still ultimate evil…" Shadow retorted.

"Good and evil are entirely subjective. In your view, Doctor Eggman was a crazed scientist bent on ruling the world with an iron fist. But would you believe that he had good intentions?"

"Shut up with your lies!" Sonic replied.

"He helped you quite a few times, dear Sonic…he wanted the same thing as you…a world that lived in peace and harmony."

"That doesn't sound like Eggman at all," Tahra added.

"He knew that the world could not live in harmony without the destruction of personal freedoms. Only when he was absolute ruler, and his word was law could war, strife and inequality end. The Judgment wanted the exact same thing…this goal is my goal as well…absolute equality, and an end to war and to strife. It seems like you favor inequality, war and strife, since you oppose me."

"No…" Sonic answered. "We want those things…we just want everyone alive to experience it. You wish for an end to all life. _That _is why we will defeat you."

Nazo grinned evilly, and then extended the two red energy sabers from his hands. "Oh, then bring it on, kids! I'm right here!" The four heroes, after readying themselves, transformed into their more powerful forms. Tahra and Shadow transformed into their Hyper forms while Sonic and Amy chose the second level of their Heroic forms.

All at once they charged with flying dashes, and Nazo dashed at them as well. The first one to attack was Sonic, who delivered a fast swing that the demon parried. He also blocked Masamune, and did a powerful kick to knock Amy backwards. Only Tahra managed to sneak by, and delivered a powerful slash to Nazo's arm. The attack struck home, but it could not sever his arm. This allowed the others to get in, and deliver powerful blows. But for all their might, Nazo still had a lot of fight left in him.

The demon hedgehog quickly used Chaos Blast to push them away, and then targeted Sonic. The angel hedgehog had just gotten rebalanced when Nazo was upon him. Nazo and Sonic were living blurs as their weapons clashed at supersonic speeds. But Sonic managed to get a hit to his enemy's flank when Nazo raised his arm a little too high for another attack. This sent Nazo reeling, and then Shadow struck him in midair. Nazo quickly righted himself and started to defend himself from the flashing hedgehog's assault.

As the two girls watched this, an idea came to them. It wasn't going to be fusion, but it would work just about as well. When they saw an opportunity, Amy charged up the light beam attack she had used on Ragozine, while Tahra readied a Chaos Flare, the same technique Black Doom met his end to. They fired the blasts in such a way that their power combined into a single blast which nailed Nazo dead on. After the flash of light that accompanied these attacks was over, it seemed that their enemy was severely damaged…and extremely mad. He was growling and cursing between his teeth, while he was curled up with arms crossed.

Even Nazo's evil heart was being consumed, but directly by the Meteor Parasite. And these attacks were hastening the process, until finally the demon snapped. He turned dark blue, and his form became more shadowy…like so many others…he had become a Heartless. This sudden change gave him an immense boost of strength and speed, which he immediately took advantage of. He rushed at each of the heroes and began delivering a blizzard of blows at such speed that seemed like he was using Chaos Control…but he wasn't.

It wasn't enough. Even as a Heartless he was ultimately doomed to lose, because one of them reacted to this. Sonic, whom he had targeted last, dodged Nazo's starting swing, and countered with a powerful downward kick. Shadow managed to get up quickly enough to deliver his own round of attacks. Then Amy got up and delivered her own flurry of blows, as did Tahra. To Nazo's displeasure and rage, they turned into a sort of passable punching bag, tossing him when they didn't want to smack him around.

After a few minutes of this, the four hedgehogs finally decided to finish the job. They surrounded the stunned demon lord, and with a simultaneous attack, sent him crashing to the floor. For good measure, each used a powerful beam attack that blasted out the entire floor of the room (as well as every other floor) and quite literally drove Nazo into the ground.

But their enemy was still not dead. Four wide beams of darkness struck each one of them, sending them spinning upward. Even though he was not dead, the four could sense that their enemy was close to defeat. They just needed one more attack. Simultaneously the four used Chaos Control, and began their final assault…one of every attack in their arsenal, ranging from unarmed attacks and weapons strikes to energy blasts. They concluded with another heavy blow from their weapons, this time to Nazo's head.

He shrieked in pain as the four Sacred Arms dug deep into his brain and shattered his skull. He managed to force out four words before he died.

"You're…still…too…late…"

When Nazo finally died, the entire city began to shake, and the tower was crumbling. Even the dimensional fabric seemed to be coming apart. The four could feel a terrible power emanating from everywhere…it was exponentially greater than Nazo…Geddon was waking up.

"Crap…we're too late!" Tahra managed to say before the entire dimension was ripped apart in a dark purple and heatless blaze that began to cover the sky…

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Oh crap…this is not good at all," Raiden said when he saw the results of the blast. The rest of the group looked on in horror at what stood before them…it was the Meteor Parasite, and he was awake. The beast rested on a massive platform of uncut rock that was floating in the crater formed by the blast.

"So that's the Meteor Parasite," Sven gasped. "He's as loathsome as they say. I kin feel 'is terrible power…it's givin' me a headache."

"So this is how it all ends," Armeil sighed. "His power is far beyond that of Sonic and the others. There's no way they'll win." Naylet, however, was in disagreement.

"No, there _has _to be something we can do!" she protested. "I'm going to do what I can to help them." She extended her angel wings and flew toward the Meteor Parasite. Armeil, concerned for his beloved's safety, followed her.

"If the kitsune goes, I'm going too!" Nack said. He pulled out the biggest gun he had, a large laser cannon, and followed them.

"Damn…I wish I could use my Super form," Knuckles growled. "If Sonic hadn't gone berserk when he killed Eggman, I probably could have used that machine he mentioned to allow that." Tails grinned, and pulled a large box out of his fur. He opened the box, and inside were the seven Chaos Emeralds. He had been keeping them safe and out of the wrong hands.

"How about you use the Emeralds themselves, Knux?"

The echidna grinned, and as he did in the past, called upon their power and began flashing red and pink, power rushing through his veins, and became Super Knuckles once more. With Vahtri tagging along, the two followed.

"Looks like we're sitting this one out, everyone," Eberon sighed. "We can only cheer them on. Let us hope that the world is praying for the best…"

"I'm sure they are!" Mikael chimed in.

"…Yeah! They'll pulverize him!" Charmy agreed, doing a backflip as he did.

"You're always so optimistic," Espio said to his bee friend.

-- -- -- -- --

"At last we meet!" the creature said in a jocular manner to the four hedgehogs. "I have watched your battles from here, and they were all simply wonderful to watch! But alas, I'm afraid…"

"…our journey ends here," Tahra interrupted. "Yeah, yeah, we've heard it before. If I had a ring for every time someone has said that…"

"Ooooo, someone's cheeky!" the creature cackled in his clown voice, causing Tahra to close her ears for a second. This wince made the freak smile inside. "But I'm afraid you don't know who I am."

"We know all too well who you are!" Shadow roared. "You're the monster who's responsible for all the war, strife and corruption of the last six thousand years! You've turned brother against brother, father against son, and brought ruin to entire civilizations! We won't stand for it any longer!"

"Ah, moral indignation…I find it to be droll…diluted. I thought you four were better than that. Anger, rage, hatred…those are true feelings that I thought you had in your hearts. But now all there is…moral indignation. I thought there was darkness in your hearts!"

"Of course there is…" Amy answered. "We just don't let it consume us, like it does to your minions. That's what made them weak…"

"And that's why we're going to take you down!" Sonic finally said. "This ends now!"

All four dashed forward, and swung the Sacred Arms at the Meteor Parasite. But to their horror, the ancient weapons, which had been sharp throughout their battles, shattered like glass, while the monster remained unharmed. The creature cackled again.

"You STUPID mortals…those weapons were made to defeat Nazo, not me!"

The four hedgehogs were dismayed at their loss. The weapons that Akuma had said could never break had crumbled in their hands. It seemed that nothing could save them now…but that was before a huge laser blast struck Geddon in one of his eyes. The four turned to see the friends who were able to help hovering nearby.

"Did you really think we'd let you four have all the fun?" Knuckles cheered.

"We won't let this monster destroy this world," Armeil added. "We'll lend you support."

"Oh, so you think the so-called 'power of friendship' is going to save this puny world?" Geddon cackled with the clown voice. "That's a laugh."

"The concept's clichéd, I know…but it's a cliché that I can live with!" Nack replied as he fired another blast into one of Geddon's eyes. This time the beast avoided it and bit at the group with that head but they avoided the attack easily.

"So, going to be dodgy, eh?" the Meteor Parasite said with the young man voice. "Well, let's see you fools dodge THIS!" Geddon unleashed the largest Chaos Blast imaginable, smashing into every member of the group, and knocking the farthest group off their feet…the end seemed near, but the forces of good were about to make one last stand…

-- -- -- -- --

"Mom," Kiran cried out suddenly as he gazed out from the cave mouth. "I can feel it…Amy's terribly hurt! She's in a big battle." Amy's mother came out, and picked Kiran up.

"I can feel it to, honey…I think it's the end, though…"

"No!" Kiran whined. "There has to be something we can do!" He quickly went up near the edge of the cliff he was on, got down on his knees and began to fervently pray.

_Please, Amy... you have to get through this…I wanna see you again…Mommy wants to see you again…_

-- -- -- -- --

"The battle for the sake of all things is turning against Shadow and his friends," the Great Alpha called to his fellow wolves. We must do everything we can to lend Shadow our power. The welfare of not only us wolves, but _all _living things, is under dire threat!"

"But how can we?" one wolf asked.

"We must pray as we do. Howl, my kin…howl as though your lives depend on it, for life does depend on our efforts! Howl to the sky, let our cries give Shadow and their friends strength to fight on!"

The entire tribe began howling, praying to the heavens to give the heroes a fighting chance…

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Hey, look at the sky!" a young hedgefox said in awe, pointing to the black and purple swirls that was now the sky.

"I wonder if Miss Naylet's gonna be okay?" a half-kitsune said. "I heard she was with that blue guy Sonic. They said they were gonna beat some guy named Geddon or something."

"The Meteor Parasite…so he's finally arrived," an older half-kitsune sighed. She wondered what to do. But the children seemed to instinctively know what course of action to take. The half-kitsune nearest her closed her eyes, bowed her head, and began to pray. The chain reaction spread across the colony, and soon, every single half-breed was sending their prayers, hoping that Sonic could come through for them.

-- -- -- -- -- --

All around the world this was happening…people who had learned of the journey of the four hedgehogs and their friends, or met them in person, they knew that the world would be doomed if they did not win…and they began to pray. Though each person contributed a small amount, their words not only carried by the winds, but each individual also contributed a small amount of their personal energy. When you have millions of beings doing all of this, it began to add up. But their prayers also awoke another entity…an entity that would not allow things to go this way.

_Warriors of the Sacred Arms! Awaken!_

The minds of the four hedgehogs were in a state that was a mixture of sleep, waking and death. In this state, each one could hear the myriad prayers of those around the world.

_"They're cheering for us…"_ Tahra said to herself.

_"They're lending us their power…"_ Amy thought.

_"We can't let them down..."_ Shadow said to himself.

_"This…this new power I feel…is this…from the earth itself AND the Chaos Emeralds?"_

_Warriors! The planet is giving what power it can spare. Use it to stop the Meteor Parasite..."_

The four hedgehogs slowly rose to their feet, and Geddon was mildly surprised by this. What was more, their energy was increasing vastly. The wasteland, once barren, suddenly began to become replanted with grass, with a few flowers here and there, so great was the energy being exuded by the four heroes. Their final level of transformation was at hand, and it was just what they needed to defeat this monster.

The change was actually minor…a combining of their Heroic and Hyper forms (Amy and Sonic retained the traits of the second level), but the energy of their transformation had turned the wasteland into a great grassy plain. Their power had now increased a hundredfold, and their minds were deadest on a single mission…taking Geddon down once and for all.

In perfect unison, the four hedgehogs raised their right hands straight up, and each summoned a Chaos Edge to that hand, then with their left hand. The monster chuckled.

"Got your second wind, have you?" the beast chuckled in all seven voices at once. "It won't do you a bit of good. For all your power, I still have over a million worlds worth of power at my disposal!"

With a cross between a shriek and a roar, the seven-headed fiend began to glow with black energy…and from this energy came pitch-black copies of Nazo. About thirty such copies were produced before falling into formation in front of him.

"Hmph…you're still afraid to fight your own battles, eh, big guy?" Sonic mocked. "Hey guys…let's send him off, hedgehog-style!" His companions gave him a look of disgust.

"Sonic…that was really corny," Shadow replied before he flew forward, his twin blades whirling, slashing one Nazo copy as he passed it. The two girls giggled a little before going forward as well.

"Hey! Wait up! I want some fun too!" Sonic cried as he raced to catch up. But the others were already in the thick of melee, their Chaos Edges whipping about, cutting through the shadow Nazos like they were nothing. As this was happening, Geddon was fuming. He was hoping his distraction would give him long enough to fully charge up his final attack, but there wasn't enough time. He had to take them out now.

He floated forward into the melee, and struck at Tahra without regard to his Nazo copies, and tried to grab her in the jaws of one of his heads. But he was too slow, as she was able to lop off that head, and it disintegrated as it fell away from the neck. The neck reared back, but to her horror, another head grew in its place in a matter of moments. This made her drop her guard, allowing several Nazo copies to pile on top of her and starting beating her up.

Sonic noticed this, and rushed to help her, slashing his way through the copies in an effort to save her, but not before he was attacked by another of Geddon's heads. This time he was caught between its pincer-jaws, but managed to catch them. Still, it was a tremendous effort to resist their force.

Amy and Shadow had cleared off a group of Nazo copies just as two more of the monster's heads lashed out at them. Amy was caught in the jaws of one, but Shadow was able to dodge the one aiming at him, and sever that head while doing a forward flip. He watched as the neck reared back, and grew another head.

But as he watched, he noticed one of the heads had a thicker neck that the other ones; and it seemed to have been concentrating as it regenerated the lost head. His attention soon turned to Amy, who was losing the fight against the pincers. Shadow quickly sliced off the head trying to devour Amy.

"Amy…I think I figured out his weak point!" Shadow told her, pointing to the central head." It's that head in the middle! Unless we kill THAT head, he's going to keep regenerating!"

"But how are we gonna get to it?" Amy asked as she disposed of another Nazo clone with a quick underarm stab without even looking behind her. "He's faster than us. Shadow simply raised one hand and formed a yellow ball of energy…the Chaos Spear.

"Amy, help Sonic and Tahra…I'll get the big guy's attention." Amy nodded and sped off to help her two other friends. Shadow took careful aim as he moved forward.

"Chaos…Spear!" he cried as he vaulted over a head sent after him. Sure enough, the Chaos Spear scored a direct hit in the eye of central head. All seven heads roared at once, and the Nazo copies disappeared. Shadow quickly used Chaos Control to return to the side of his friends

"His concentration is broken, guys!" Shadow said to the others. "Let's take him down now!" All four nodded together, and charged forward at the central head. They slipped between the necks of the secondary heads and all delivered a slash, dealing massive damage to the central head. It was now completely stunned, unable to defend itself.

"Now, let's get rid of this guy!" Sonic cheered. All four hedgehogs held up their hands, and their entire bodies pulsated as they summoned the last of their energy for one final attack.

"Chaos…CONTROL!"

A light as bright as a hundred suns flashed across the sky, dispersing the purple clouds, and turning night into day. The Meteor Parasite writhed as his body was flung far away from the planet…and right into the sun. It screamed as its body was seared by the star's flames and radiation…no being, not even the destroyer of a million worlds, could survive the heat of a living star.

All across the world, the people cheered, for their prayers had been answered. But the four heroes, drained of virtually all of their energy, plummeted down to earth…and it seemed that their victory would cost them their lives…

-- -- -- -- -- --

Sonic awoke and sat up in a bed, and was met with cheers from Tahra (who was bandaged in several places, but obviously alive), Tails and Knuckles. He wondered if he was alive or dead and feebly asked that very question.

Tails simply smiled. "Don't worry, Sonic; you're alive. Armeil and the others woke up in time to catch you and the others as you fell. You still got pretty badly hurt. You were out for days!"

"Is he gone? Is the Meteor Parasite...?"

Knuckles seemed surprised. "You don't remember any of that? You four atomized him! He couldn't possibly be deader!"

Sonic lay back in his bed and smiled. "So then the nightmare is over at long last." He turned to Tahra, who smiled, sat down next to him and lovingly kissed him on the forehead. Knuckles and Tails took this as a signal that the couple wanted to be in private, and they left the room.

"How are Shadow and Amy?" Sonic asked as he sat up again and turned sideways to make room for his girlfriend.

"They're doing okay…they're being all cuddly and stuff," Tahra replied. "Shadow's almost completely recovered, but Amy needs another day. I'm sure one of Vahtri's yummy cookies will heal our wounds. It's getting the energy back that will take time. Armeil said that our final attack against Geddon expended so much energy that we lost the ability to use our Heroic forms and those of higher levels…not that we'll need to anymore."

"What about Rouge?" Sonic then asked. Tahra reported that the bat was doing just fine. The eggs had died, and disintegrated, and she was as good as new. Now that all the problems had been settled, Sonic decided to take a nap. He moved over a little to make room for his love, and they slept side by side.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"_Huh? Are we in each other's dreams again?" Amy asked Sonic, Shadow and Tahra when they showed up in her dreams. Before anyone could answer, a great green orb of bright light appeared above them, and it spoke to them._

"_Warriors of the Sacred Arms…the threat of the Meteor Parasite has passed at long last, after eons of his terrible reign. Your journey has come to an end, and it deserves a reward of some kind. I can grant you four a wish that is within my power. But it must be one that you can all agree on."_

_Sonic immediately came up with one that he was sure everyone wanted. "Can you make it so everyone just gets along? That way, everyone will be happy."_

"_I am afraid I cannot stifle the wills of people," the glowing light replied with a disappointed tone, "for that seems to be the only way for that to occur. Perhaps you could think of something else."_

"_Then how about bringing all of the humans who died at the hands of Geddon's minions in the past year or so back?"_

"_The veil between life and death has come dangerously close to breaking. That wish would only bring catastrophe upon the living world. Please think of another." _

_Shadow did have a wish in mind, but he wasn't sure if his friends would agree on it._

"_Uh…this might seem a little selfish…" he said to his friends, "But do you think it would be okay if I brought Maria back?"_

_To his surprise, Amy was quick to agree. "I'd love to meet Maria! I'm sure she'd make a great friend to us all. You agree…right, Sonic?" The blue hedgehog shrugged, and then nodded. Tahra did the same thing. _

"_Thanks a lot, everyone," Shadow said. "You don't know how happy you've made me!" He turned back to the light. "Alright…we want you to bring the one named Maria Robotnik back to life!"_

"…_That is a wish I can grant. I'm sure the veil I mentioned can handle a single individual. But she cannot return in her human form…I shall make her into a hedgehog, and she will think that you are her younger brother, Shadow. Treat her as a sister."_

"_I will do that. Thank you…"_

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Mom…" Amy said when she found the cave where her mother and Kiran were staying. The little boy came rushing out of the cave and hopped into his half-sister's arms. Amy's mother stood a distance from her children and watched the reunion.

"Big sis…you came back to see us!" Kiran squealed with joy. "You actually did it!"

"I'm glad you're happy to see me, Kiran…" Amy replied lovingly. Her mother finally found the will to approach the daughter she once thought monstrous, and stood there, unsure of what to say.

"Amy…I-I suppose I should apologize for all those terrible things I said of you," she said hesitantly. "A mother shouldn't reject her daughter…"

The pink hedgehog shook her head and smiled. "No…I understand what you felt. But the creature that used me is gone for good. I think the world is headed in the right direction at last…in the direction of a better world. And I'm glad to have you be a part of it, Mom."

The mother hedgehog began to well up with tears, and she embraced her daughter. Amy glanced up on the rocks to see Shadow watching. He smiled, and she smiled back. The couple had their own plans for a family as well. And with the world at peace, it was now a real possibility…

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Hey, Sonic!"Mikael asked Sonic one day as the latterwas helping to rebuild the ruined Westopolis. "I wanna ask you something."

"Go ahead, little guy," Sonic replied. "Ask away."

"Now that the humans are gone and all, the big leaders of each race are holding this meeting with my big sis. They're actually trying to rename the planet. Earth was the human name, and now they want a new one. They can't think of any, so she wanted me to ask you."

Sonic was astounded. Mikael had no idea what kind of responsibility that was suddenly thrust upon him with that question. Sonic thought hard about this, and eventually came up with one.

"I read in an old book that before the humans took over, this world was called Mobius. Why don't we just call it Mobius again?" Mikael grinned with agreement.

"...Mobius it is, then! Thanks, Sonic!" the little hedgehog said before running back to his sister. Sonic smiled as he watched him leave.

"So that's gonnabe my brother-in-law someday..."

-- -- -- -- -- --

**Me**: And so ends our tale…all that remains is the epilogue. I think the battle against Geddon is supposed to be a lot more spectacular in images than the writing (it was in my head), and the fight against Eclipse was pretty short (but then again, Amy was way more powerful than he was) but I think this chapter went well! It's the longest of them all, at almost 5,000 words.

**Tahra**: I may be a badass punk, but I love a peaceful and loving ending.

**Sonic**: It's too bad we only get to use those final forms once. But it was quite a ride while it lasted.

**Amy**: Yeah! But I wonder what Janus will depict in our futures…

**Shadow**: I'm sure they'll be involving the sequel…

**Me**: Yep. Stay tuned for the epilogue, and let those comments roll in


	61. Epilogue: Six Years Later

**Epilogue**

**Me**: Wow! What a tale! What a way to finish this awesome work! Thanks to everyone for reading this, and a special thanks to ScarletEbon for taking time out to do fan art for me! I've gotten over 250 reviews and over 20,000 hits. Thanks for all of it. I'm going to go right into the sequel of Ancient Ways, Ancient Evils, which now has a title: _**Ancient Ways, Ancient Evils 2: Keys & Hearts**. _Enjoy the epilogue (which takes place 6 years later) and be sure to check out the sequel!

**-- -- -- -- -- --**

Tails went over to his desk, adjusted his glasses, and carefully looked over the note his fiancée, Cream, had written for him:

"_My dearest Tails – Please don't forget to write that letter and e-mail it to everyone._" Tails smiled when he recalled that what had happened in the past five years since the partial rebirth of the old ways. Kitsune technology had spread to the other races, allowing the races of Mobius to get more technologically advanced than before. But the ancient ways were still around, despite this technology. Most people walked wherever they went, and if great distances needed to be traveled, they took a special pollutant-free public transit system of kitsune invention. This allowed the revived planet to slowly heal itself from the damage done by the humans.

Once his computer was turned on, he started the e-mail program and began typing the letter:

-- -- -- --

_Dear Everyone_:

_It's Tails here, just giving a status report. You've all been sending me information of what's been happening, and now I'm going to compile it into this letter and send it to all of you, just so everyone can learn what's going on._

_-Shadow and Amy are doing well. They just came back from their extra-long honeymoon, and it seems like she's carrying a little extra weight, judging from pictures they sent. Shadow says that even though Amy's pregnant, she still does everything she can to keep things in order around their home. It's a good thing Maria has been doing so much for them. And much to my surprise, I learned that the two have taken the surname Robotnik! It's in honor of Shadow's creator, not Gerald's mad grandson. Amy's mother and half-brother live nearby. Kiran visits often, but not so the mother. Kiran's a nice kid, and is helpful to Maria. I'm sure they'll all be happy when their baby finally is born. _

_-Sonic and Tahra, now with the surname Streakin, are also doing splendidly. It looks like the Perky Goth is also carrying a precious load around too. Unlike Amy, Tahra doesn't strain herself as much. Then again, she was always the smarter one…no offense, Amy, really! Sonic seems to be beside himself with worry. He's already fretting over his wife's welfare. I never knew just how much he cared. Then again, he also has to deal with Mikael. That kid, judging by Sonic's frustration about him, must drive him up the wall. It's a good thing that the teen's got a girlfriend. Sonic's dad showed up at his son's wedding, and hasn't been seen since. I wonder if Devlin will ever return._

_-Knuckles and Vahtri also report no trouble. The red guy just finished enchanting the new Master Emerald, and has plans to seal away the Chaos Emeralds in Mobius' crust, where no one can get them. There are no plans for kids from them just yet, but I'll bet good money that they'll be having one in a year or two. Vahtri will be sending you all batches of cookies for the Winter Solstice festival, just to let you know that. I'm excited already! Eberon seems to have disappeared too. Maybe he just finally decided to die. I hope not…_

_-After what seems like years, I finally managed to get into contact with Rouge, who has apparently decided not to marry Nack. Instead, she has decided to merely to be his permanent girlfriend. But I think if Nack found a big enough jewel for an engagement ring, it could change her mind…you know how she still loves jewels. Some people never change._

_-The Chaotix detective agency is out of work, since the crime rate has gone into a downward spiral, so Espio has returned to his home dojo…and rumor has it that the main chameleon sensei is deeming our stealthy friend his successor! Meanwhile, Charmy is going to school with Mikael, and the two guys make one crazy pair of troublemakers! Sonic can't seem to stand the bee, but Tahra insists that he welcome him into their home. Vector seems to have disappeared entirely, but wherever he is, I'm sure he's happy. _

_-Armeil and Naylet are doing very well too. They had a son a few years ago, but he's a full-blown halfbreed…half echidna, half kitsune. The boy, named Veldo, looks mostly like his dad, but has two fox tails and ears just like his mother. They're home-schooling him, since it looks like it's going to take time before half-breeds like him will be fully accepted into society. But I'm sure the world will learn._

_-Zeipha finally got back together with Jet, and the Extreme Gear competitions have started again! Maybe after Tahra and Amy have their kids, they could enter. I know Sonic and Shadow would! She still has a bit of a crush on Shadow, so I hear._

_-The Great Alpha of wolves finally died of old age, and…you guessed it…Raiden took over his old man's position. Unfortunately, he had to fight for it. I'm sure he'll make a fine Great Alpha, despite him being relatively young. He's been planning on creating new laws for the succession of alpha males in wolf packs. His word is law to the wolves, after all._

_-Sven's a retired old coot now, and is still yet to have another drop of ale. Considering how prominent alcohol is in mole society, that's going to be difficult for the old guy. I wish him luck on that._

_-As for me and Cream, we have a date set for the wedding, and, yes, you're all invited. I know some of you can't come, but those who I can, we can't wait to see you! Meanwhile, I have more great news: I've obtained tenure as a professor of engineering at the Great Academy! I love job security!_

_So, that's all the news, I guess. This is Miles "Tails" Prower, signing off._

-- -- -- -- -- --

**Me**: Now the story's done. I will begin the sequel very soon, so remember its name: _**Ancient Ways, Ancient Evil 2: Keys & Hearts**. _This is Janus, signing off for now! Thanks to everyone who read this. Oh, my fan art contest due date for entries has been extended to July 1st! So get going!


End file.
